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VILLEPINTE, France — The 12 fighters on the biggest Olympic boxing team in Australia's history include two with Cook Islands heritage, a woman who fights in hijab and a 6-foot-6 super heavyweight who danced delightfully in the ring after knocking out his first opponent. The Aussies have endured some early setbacks at the Paris Games, but these tight-knit pugilists are still knocking down barriers on an Olympic journey toward what they hope will be the start of a new fighting era for their nation. Just sending a big team to Paris is an achievement in itself for Australia, which has never translated its national passion for combat sports into Olympic boxing gold.
