Anna Khunjua won a historical bout for Georgia in the first day of the EUBC European Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships
06 June 2018Following the general weigh-in, the official drawing and the opening ceremony the first competition day was held in the EUBC European Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships in Sofia. Georgia’s Anna Khunjua is a new teenage talent in women’s boxing and she won her native country’s first ever success in the history of the competition.
Altogether 11 preliminary bouts have been held in the first competition day in Sofia where the winners are advanced to the last 16. Finally 146 boxers from 32 countries were there in the general weigh-in of the EUBC European Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships in Sofia where 10 champions will be crowned on June 12.
Netherlands’ Anouk Echteld attended in a few international events in the recent one year but she is newcomer in the national team. The Dutch bantamweight (54kg) boxer looked more confident in the ring than Armenia’s National Champion Lilit Dalakyan in the first round. Echteld was able to keep her own rhythm and won the first bout of the whole EUBC European Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships by unanimous decision.
Greece’s Foteini Plea was not able to attend in the EUBC European Confederation U22 Boxing Championships due her university studies but she was prepared well to the elite continental event. The 20-year-old Greek bantamweight (54kg) boxer, who had impressive result lines in the youth competitions, was quicker than Poland’s EUBC European Confederation U22 Boxing Championships silver medallist Anna Goralska and celebrated her triumph after the final bell.
Georgia launched their women boxing only a few years ago but their new hope Anna Khunjua exceeded all of the expectations in the opening day of the EUBC European Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships in Sofia. The 19-year-old talent, who joined to the elite age group only this January, was aggressive and landed more punches than Germany’s Dilara Bahriye Gokalan. The final verdict was unanimous decision to the Georgian teenager who won a historical bout for her country in women’s boxing.
Turkey’s Rabia Orucoglu is their current National Champion at the bantamweight (54kg) who arrived to Sofia to raise her international experiences. The 20-year-old Turkish talent, who attended also in the EUBC European Confederation U22 Boxing Championships in Romania, used her pressurizing style against Sweden’s favourite Sara Svensson. Orucoglu’s tactic paid off and she was able to eliminate the Best Boxer of the 2018 Golden Girl Box Cup.
Ireland sent only a small team to the EUBC European Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships to Sofia but the quality of their delegation is world class. Two-time Commonwealth Games silver medallist Michaela Walsh had to meet in the first round with a dangerous rival England’s soldier Karriss Artingstall who won their National Championships beating strong boxers. The 25-year-old Irish featherweight (57kg) boxer found her own rhythm in the opening round and eliminated a good English talent.
Sara Beram is the Croatian woman No.1 who is well-known about her strong attacks at the featherweight (57kg). She had to meet with Slovenia’s lone competitor in Sofia neighbouring Vida Rudolf in the first round of the competition. Beram defeated her Slovenian rival already this year and the 23-year-old Croatian repeated the same strong performance in Sofia where she landed definitely more punches than Rudolf.
Italy’s AIBA Youth World Champion and Rio 2016 Olympian Irma Testa moved back to the lightweight (60kg) following her gold medal at the featherweight (57kg) in the EUBC European Confederation U22 Boxing Championships in Targu Jiu. The 20-year-old super talented Italian used her long distance tactic against Turkey’s tough Esra Yildiz and in spite of a few difficulties Testa was able to win their narrow fight in Sofia.
