Ievgen Khytrov

Sport: Boxing

Nation: Ukraine

DOB: August 18, 1988

Career Highlights: Khytrov wasn't particularly well known before showing his potential at the 2011 world championships, taking home gold as part of a dominant performance by his home country. He had one of four first-place finishes for Ukraine, which finished at the top of the team rankings. His road to gold was a bit difficult at the outset, facing 2011 Asian championships bronze medalist Nursahat Pazzyyev in his opening bout and holding only a two-point advantage after the second round. Khytrov, though, took control in the third round and grabbed a 22-12 lead before the referee stopped the contest. In fact, his first five wins at the worlds - which qualified Khytrov for London - included three bouts which didn't get to the scorecards. The highlight was a second-round knockout of Bogdan Juratoni in the semifinals. Khytrov continued to use his strength and relentless attack in the final, holding on for a 24-22 win over second-ranked Ryota Murata to establish himself as a powerhouse. It was a continuation of an impressive performance earlier that year as he was crowned Ukrainian national champion, when none of his three bouts before the semifinals were decided by the judges. The former European Cup champion is clearly among the gold-medal favorites in London.

Olympic History: None