Cuban world lightweight champion Mario Kindelan closed in on the Olympic gold medal on Tuesday by outclassing Greece's Tigkran Ouzlian in the quarter-finals.

Kindelan, who beat Russian Alexei Steponov for the world title in Houston last August, stopped Ouzlian on the 15-point rule with 10 seconds left in the final round.

Kindelan, 29, named as Cuba's best boxer last year, was leading the Greek 24-9 at the time of the stoppage.

Kindelan will take on Russian European champion Alexsandr Maletin in Thursday's semi-finals.

Maletin outclassed Turkey's European bronze medallist Selim Palyani with the referee stopping the bout 1:44 into the final round with Maletin leading 21-6.

AFP