Charlie Senior celebrates in style after clinching boxing medal for Australia

Australia will take at least a bronze medal home from the Paris boxing ring after featherweight Charlie Senior defeated Carlo Paalam in the men's 57kg quarter-finals – and celebrated in style.

With boxing putting losing semi-finalists on the podium rather than holding bronze medal bouts, the win guarantees the young West Australian a medal, but Senior said he is aiming for more than that.

"I don't come here for just a bronze medal, I come here for gold and that's what I'm going to leave with," he told Nine after the win.

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Senior paid tribute to his late grandfather Dennis, whose funeral he was unable to attend late last year after he died following a cancer battle in the lead-up to the Olympic boxing trials.

"He's pushing me, it's giving me that extra edge," he said.

"I know, for him he'd want this. I might not have been there when I wanted to but this is making up for it, and I know this is what he wants."

Paalam was the Philippines' flag-bearer at the opening ceremony last weekend and the reigning silver medallist from Tokyo, but went down to his younger opponent in a split decision.

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The judges' scorecards were a mixed bag, with only two of the five adjudicators seeing the fight the same way.

Two gave the fight to Paalam – one 30-27, the other 29-28 – while the other three gave the nod to the Australian – one 30-27, and two 29-28.

After claiming the win, Senior celebrated by backflipping in the middle of the ring and raising his hands to the crowd, including a group of Australian boxers led by Harry Garside, whose own Olympic campaign ended in the opening round.

"The support is unreal," Senior said.

"I can hear them all every round in the ring... I can't thank them enough."

But it wasn't just Australians barracking for Senior, with a considerable Uzbek contingent getting behind the Aussie.

"I do have a big support in Uzbekistan," he said.

"Last year for the world champs I fought Uzbekistan in Uzbekistan and gained a lot of support and following, so they support me just as much as anyone else."

He might not quite have that same support in the semi-final, where Uzbek Khalokov Abdumalik awaits, although another backflip or two could well be on the cards.

"It will be the fight of the tournament for sure," Senior said.

"We finished at the end of the last tournament, both did a backflip together, I'm sure you'll see it again."