Iranian heavyweight Ali Mazaheri was left seething in London on Wednesday after he was disqualified in the opening round of his first contest, against Cuba's Jose Larduet.
The 30-year-old 2006 Asian Games champion was disqualified for holding after receiving three warnings from German referee Frank Scharmach.
Mazaheri, also a bronze-medallist at the 2010 Asian Games, stood in amazement, refusing to take his headgear off.
He then refused to take the referee's hand for the announcement of the decision, and climbed out of the ring.
"I've never seen anything like it in my life," he said. "I thought I was going to win the gold medal here and within a minute I have received three warnings and I was out with my dreams shattered.
"It is incredible, I can't believe this has happened."
Larduet thought he was the boxer who had been penalised by Scharmach.
"As he was taller, He was constantly grabbing and pulling my head down, so I thought I was the one who committed misconduct and had had a point taken away," he said.
"He did not give me his hand, but no matter because I'm the one who will make the next fight, and what matters is that I raised my arm," added Larduet.
{{/usCountry}}"He did not give me his hand, but no matter because I'm the one who will make the next fight, and what matters is that I raised my arm," added Larduet.
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