Olympics Photo of the Day: The Moment of Impact

A boxer's contorted face, seen just after being punched hard, with his opponent's arm and glove below
Mohd Rasfan / AFP / Getty

In the split-second after taking a huge punch to the face, Canada’s Wyatt Sanford was photographed during a match against Uzbekistan’s Ruslan Abdullaev in the men’s 63.5-kilogram quarterfinal boxing event at the North Paris Arena, in Villepinte. These sorts of photos are fairly common in boxing coverage, but that doesn’t take away from their impact—as they reveal shockwaves rippling through a person’s surprisingly flexible face and hint at the pain and disorientation the boxer surely feels. Sanford went on to win the match, setting himself up for a medal.

Previously: