Peter Mungai: I lost to better boxer

Peter Mungai Warui (KEN) of Kenya competes. REUTERS

“I lost to a better boxer” was Peter Mungai’s message after being knocked out of the Olympics in the men’s Light Flyweight category on Wednesday.

Cuban world number one Joahnys Argilagos won the bout by unanimous decision and Mungai had no complaint at the end of the quarter-finals bout at the Riocentro Pavilion. The results read 30-27, 30-27,30-26 in favour of the Cuban.

“I have no problem with the way I fought and reaching the quarter-finals was a very big achievement for me. I will be going back home with a lot of pride,” Mungai told Feverpitch.

Joahnys Argilagos Perez (CUB) of Cuba and Peter Mungai Warui (KEN) of Kenya compete. REUTERS

He said he wished the Cuban all the best and would be very happy if Argilagos went all the way to win a gold medal.

“From here, I am going to look for him and wish him all the best in his next bout as he is a good man who is just happy to concentrate on his game,” Mungai said.

He said the Cuban was a very clever boxer who knew how to handle his opponents and changed his strategy depending on the way the other boxer was fighting.

“Today, he did not fight the same way he fought in his earlier bout and even though I had studied him before this fight, he outsmarted me,” Mungai said.