Yamaguchi Falcão Florentino has ended Brazil’s 44-year men’s boxing medal drought at the 2012 Olympic Games…

The 24-year-old Brazilian fighter’s run in the men’s light heavyweight category was ended by Russia’s Egor Mekhontsev in the semifinals on Friday at the London Games, but he’ll return to Brazil with a bronze medal.

Falcão’s hardware matches the feat of his fellow countryman Servilio de Oliveira, who was a semi-finalist at the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico.

That 1968 bronze was Brazil’s sole contribution to the Olympic boxing record books… until these London Games, with Brazil guaranteed three medals.

Along with Falcão’s bronze, Adriana Araujo claimed a bronze in the inaugural women’s boxing competition on Wednesday. And, Falcão’s younger brother Esquiva will fight for the gold medal on Saturday.