Olympics: Yafai Outclassed As British Boxers Begin to Feel the Heat

Before these Olympic Games began, Britain's eight-man boxing squad were confident of their best medal haul in modern times. But today there was more disappointment as Khalid Yafai's wide points defeat at flyweight by Cuban Andry Laffita left the British team with just three fighters left in the competition.

Victory would have ensured Khalid Yafai, a 19-year-old from Birmingham, a place in the quarter-finals. But Laffita, the 2005 world championship silver medalist and pre-tournament favorite, was too quick and too cute.

After an ultra-cautious first round where both boxers kept their distance and Laffita landed the only scoring shot, the Cuban used his jab to run away with the second to move 7-1 clear.

Before these Games Yafai had admitted he was more "boxer than slugger" but now he had to come out swinging. He tried his best in the third and fourth rounds, coming forward whenever he could, but never troubled Laffita who boxed sensibly to secure victory.

"It was hard," admitted Yafai. "He's clever. He's experienced. Obviously I am very disappointed, but it was a good experience for me. Hopefully by the time London 2012 comes around I'll have the experience to go much further."

Britain's coach Terry Edwards was keen to put Yafai's defeat in context. "The lad has only just turned 19," he said. "It was a controlled performance from Yafai but the Cuban was very elusive. He was tense in the first round and in the second the Cuban got away with it. After that he was always chasing."

Edwards also insisted a tough draw and not poor performances were to blame for British boxing's disappointing showing so far. "You need a bit of luck and perhaps we haven't had that," he said. "We've had two Cubans, a Russian and a Chinese fighter in his own back yard."

"The media coverage perhaps raised expectations too high," he said. "But I do think that we've got a very talented group. Our target was two gold medals and hopefully we can still achieve that."