Charlie Senior will leave Paris with Australia's seventh Olympic boxing medal after upsetting Carlo Paalam on a split points decision in their quarterfinal.

The backflipping Australian has rescued the country's boxing campaign and assured himself a rare Olympic medal after a tight, comeback quarterfinal victory.

The 57kg contender beat Tokyo's silver medallist Carlo Paalam 3-2 in a tense, split-decision win on Saturday night, Australian time, at North Paris Arena.

With the semifinal losers receiving bronze, it means Senior is guaranteed some rare Olympic boxing silverware regardless of the result against Abdumalik Khalokov when competition moves to Roland Garros on Thursday.

No Australian has won an Olympic boxing title and the country only boasts six medallists, with Harry Garside ending a 33-year drought with bronze in Tokyo three years ago.

Senior lost the first round 3-2 but won the second by the same margin when he rolled the dice and attacked his Filipino opponent.

Only one judge had split the rounds, Irish official Ben McGarrigle effectively with the result in his hands when he was one of three judges to give the third round to the Australian.

Senior iced the win with a backflip in the centre of the ring as the Australian contingent celebrated wildly.

Caitlin Parker will fight in her quarterfinal on Sunday. She is the only other survivor among a record 12-strong Australian contingent that qualified for the Games.

AAP