Cuba clinches at least six boxing medals

BEIJING, Aug. 19 (UPI) -- Cuba ensured itself at least six Olympic boxing medals Tuesday by advancing two more fighters to the semifinals.

Light-flyweight Yampier Hernandez overwhelmed Brazil's Paulo Carvalho in the light-flyweight quarterfinals 21-6. Yordenis Ugas then won his lightweight bout with an 11-7 victory over Georgian Popescu of Romania.

Boxers that reach the semifinals can do no worse than a bronze medal and Cuba has put six boxers in the semis. There will be two more Cuban fighters in action on Wednesday in the flyweight and middleweight quarterfinals.

China put its third and fourth boxers into the semifinals. Zou Shiming defeated Brizham Zhakypov of Kazakhstan in the light-flyweight class 9-4 and Zhang Xiaoping was a 12-7 winner over Adbelhafid Benchabla of Algeria.

The United States will have just one boxer in Friday's semifinals -- heavyweight Deontay Wilder.