Olympic boxer Angela Carini breaks silence on abandoning fight

Carini pulled out of her bout against Imane Khelif at the Tokyo Olympics, citing mental health concerns

In an emotional interview, Carini revealed that she had been struggling with anxiety and depression

Italian boxer Angela Carini has explained her decision to end her boxing match early against Imane Khelif at the Tokyo Olympics, citing mental health concerns.

Carini, who was competing in the women's 66kg category, pulled out of the bout in the third round, with Khelif advancing to the next round.

In an emotional interview with Italian media, Carini revealed that she had been struggling with anxiety and depression in the lead-up to the Games.

"I've been fighting with myself for a long time," she said. "I've been trying to hide it, but it's been getting worse and worse."

Carini said that she had decided to pull out of the fight because she was no longer able to compete at her best.

"I'm not a quitter, but I know that I can't win this fight," she said. "I'm not strong enough."

Carini's decision to speak out about her mental health has been praised by many, who have said that it is an important step in breaking the stigma surrounding mental illness in sport.