Canada’s Junior Petanqui advances at Olympic boxing qualifier in Thailand

Canada’s Junior Petanqui advanced at the Olympic boxing qualifier tournament with a win on points in Bangkok on Sunday.

Petanqui defeated Shain Boniface of Seychelles 5-0 in the men’s 71kg event.

The Montreal native moves on to face Armenia’s Gurgen Madoyan in the round of 16 on Tuesday.

The next Canadian to enter the ring in Thailand will be Terris Smith, who competes against Bulgaria’s Aslahan Mehmedova in the women’s 60kg category on Monday.

Six other Canadians, Scarlett Delgado, Sara Kali, Doni Foreman, Marie Al-Ahmadieh, Mckenzie Wright and Keven Beausejour, will strap on the gloves in Bangkok for their chance to qualify for Paris 2024. The qualifying tournament at the Indoor Stadium Huamark, which started Friday and ends June 2, will decide the last 51 quota places — 23 women and 28 men — for the Games.

Fellow Canadians, middleweight Tammara Thibeault (75kg) and welterweight Wyatt Sanford (63.5 kg) have already qualified for the Games following their gold-medal performances at the 2023 Pan American Games. Both boxed for Canada at Tokyo 2020.

Paris 2024 boxing events run from July 27 to Aug. 1 in the North Paris Arena and Roland-Garros Stadium. The Games will have 13 weight classes — seven for men and six for women.

WATCH | Thibeault wins way to Paris Olympics:

Thibeault’s Pan Am Games semifinal victory secures Olympic boxing berth next summer

Shawinigan, Que., native Tammara Thibeault defeated Mexico’s Citlalli Ortiz through a unanimous points decision (5-0) in the 75-kilogram semifinals at the Pan Am Games.