Pain of dead father drives on Brazilian boxer in Rio
A Brazilian boxer who quit playing football because it was a painful reminder of his dead father says that enduring hurt will drive him on when he faces an American prodigy on Sunday.
Robenilson De Jesus, now 28, was just seven years old when his beloved father was run over and killed by a car while working as a security guard.
The family was poor and living in a favela, or shantytown, struggling to make ends meet.
"It was my dad who inspired me," he said. "He was very into sport and a major inspiration for me. My background is actually in football, this is where I first started when I was very young.
"Dad used to take me to watch games and to training. But after he died, I associated football with him and it made me sad so I took up a different sport and I chose boxing. But it's really down to my dad that I'm here today.
"My dad took me to so many football games, that was our escapism from real life. After he died, boxing became my escape and my way to try and better myself."
The Brazilian bantamweight, who scraped through with a split-points decision in his preliminary bout on Wednesday, faces one of the hottest prospects in Rio in the form of Shakur Stevenson.
He knows that after competing at previous Games in Beijing 2008 and London 2012, Rio -- with its vociferous Brazilian crowd roaring him on -- might represent his best hope of an Olympic medal.
"It's been incredible. You can't compare it when you're on your home turf and everyone is shouting 'Brazil' and your name. It takes you forward in the ring and gives you energy and drive to get the victory," he said.
Brazil on Friday guaranteed at least one boxing medal when Robson Conceicao won his lightweight quarter-final, meaning he will take home bronze at the minimum.