Team USA's flyweight boxer Roscoe Hill fell to France's Billal Bennama in a split-decision Round of 16 match Tuesday morning -- the first boxing event of the day.
It was Hill's second bout of the 2024 Paris Olympics, following a first-round victory over Olympic Refugee boxer Omid Ahmadisafa.
Bennama's win also served as a sort of payback for American lightweight boxer Jajaira Gonazalez's first-round upset over France's Estelle Mossely on Saturday. Mossely was the favorite in that fight, having earned lightweight gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
During the second U.S.-France tete-a-tete on Tuesday, Bennama elicited massive roars from the crowd at the North Paris Arena as he pummeled his way to a 3-2 win. He closed in on his evasive American opponent and managed a series of quick blows in order to secure the upper hand.
"My emotions were just huge out there. It's the first time I have experienced something like that," Bennama said, referring to the vociferous French support.
"It is a huge motivation for me to carry on in the competition as far as possible, to hear the fans again."
Bennama next meets Cuba's Alejandro Claro, who eased past Brazil's Michael Trindade in a unanimous victory.
(Reuters contributed to this story)