Ginny Fuchs fought like she was waiting four years for this moment.
The 33-year-old southpaw from Houston effortlessly overcame height and reach disadvantages to outpoint Svetlana Soluianova (ROC) over three rounds Sunday afternoon at Kokugikan Arena in Tokyo.
Fuchs won by scores 30-27 on three cards—offsetting matching cards of 29-28 for Soluianova—to earn her place in the Round of 16.
The fight was by no means easy for Fuchs, who traveled with the 2016 U.S. Olympic team to Rio despite not qualifying for those Games. The hard-hitting American constantly pressed the action, keeping her lead foot outside of Soluianova’s left in order to keep her within range to land her straight left hand. The 5’9” Soluianova tried to put her long reach to use, boxing from the outside but never fully committing to her jab.
Action was more competitive in round two, though with both fighters getting a little too physical. Fuchs was given a soft warning for pushing Soluianova, though still able to work her jab and left hand along with targeting her opponent’s body. Soluianova managed right hands but found herself in position to land right hands whenever Fuchs didn’t effectively tie her up on the inside.
Fuchs claimed full control in round three, a frame that saw its fair share of grappling but with the American dictating the pace. Soluianova fell to the canvas several times and was never able to land anything of consequence, yet somehow won the round and fight on two of the five scorecards.
Fortunately by that point, Fuchs was well ahead on the remaining three scorecards to advance in the competition.
Fuchs has overcome obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) in order to succeed at the highest level in amateur boxing. She was also able to preserve her spot after clearing up a strange doping allegation last spring, where she tested positive for a banned substance only to successfully attribute it to ingesting through unprotected sex.
In receiving clearance to resume her outstanding amatuer career, Fuchs became just the second female flyweight to represent the United States in the Olympics. Her predecessor, Marlen Esparza—also from Houston and against whom Fuchs owns a win—took home a Bronze medal in the 2012 London Olympics.
The win by Fuchs is the fourth straight for the U.S. Olympic team and the second of the day. Keyshawn Davis breezed past Netherland’s Enrico Cruz in the opening round of the men’s lightweight division during the early session Sunday.
Fuchs will next face Stoyka Krasteva (Bulgaria), who earned a split decision win over Thi Tam Nguyen (Vietnam).
Jake Donovan is a senior writer for BoxingScene.com. Twitter: @JakeNDaBox