Bulgaria’s teenager Boyan Asenov defeated EUBC European Champion Peter McGrail in the final of the Golden Belt Tournament
30 September 2018The last competition day was held in the Golden Belt Tournament in Galati where five women and nine men champions celebrated their titles. England, Romania and Ireland controlled the finals of the Golden Belt Tournament but the main sensation was delivered by Bulgaria’s 19-year-old Boyan Asenov who defeated EUBC European Champion Peter McGrail at the bantamweight (56kg).
The Romanian Boxing Federation hosted the last two editions of the EUBC European Confederation U22 Boxing Championships in Braila and in Targu Jiu. Their strong staffs have got all of the experiences to organize top competitions in our continent. The new 43rdedition of the Golden Belt Tournament hosted for the women and men elite boxers in Galati where England, Ireland, Romania, Bulgaria, Serbia, Ukraine, Hungary and Moldova attended with their best teams.
The recent editions of the Golden Belt Tournament were taking place in Constanta, in Chiajna, in Craiova and in Iasi and after these cities the competition arrived to Galati. The Golden Belt Tournament was a preparation event for the European Union Boxing Championships which will be held in Valladolid, Spain in November.
Romania’s Claudia Nechita won two international events in the recent months and she was slightly better in the final of the flyweight (51kg) than her teammate former EUBC European Women’s Champion Steluta Duta. The light flyweight (48kg) matches to the veteran Duta and she will be attending in that category in the upcoming AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in November.
Ireland’s first title was achieved by Commonwealth Games silver medallist Michaela Walsh who did enough against Romania’s Lacramioara Perijoc in the final of the featherweight (57kg). The same 3:2 result was delivered by Grainne Walsh who triumphed over Romania’s Dana Maria Borzei in the final of the welterweight (69kg). The third Irish female gold medal was achieved by Aoife O’Rourke who was slightly better than Romania’s Ionela Nane in the final of the middleweight (75kg).
England’s Rio 2016 Olympian WSB boxer Galal Yafai moved up to the flyweight (52kg) in the recent weeks but his height is still enough to win key contests in his new category. England’s star was too strong for all of his rivals in the Golden Belt Tournament including Bulgaria’s Tinko Banabakov in the final of the event.
Bulgaria’s EUBC European Confederation U22 Boxing Championships bronze medallist 19-year-old Boyan Asenov delivered one of the biggest sensations of the whole Golden Belt Tournament. The 19-year-old Bulgarian bantamweight (56kg) boxer used his unpredictable footwork in the final against EUBC European Champion and the Commonwealth Games winner Peter McGrail of England. Both boxers gave in everything in the final round but Asenov was able to keep his strong level until the end of the last gong and defeated his English star rival in Galati.
Romania’s flag bearer two-time EUBC European U22 Champion Robert Jitaru took silver medal at the Ahmet Comert Tournament in his new category at the lightweight (60kg) two weeks ago but this time he could celebrate a gold. The 21-year-old Romanian eliminated a tough Welshmen in the semi-finals and he was too quick in the attacks against Vasile Suciu which means Jitaru bagged another title during his career.
England’s EUBC European U22 Champion Luke McCormack was the main favourite of the light welterweight (64kg) but he suffered a narrow loss to Moldova’s experienced Dmitri Galagot in the final. Luke’s twin brother EUBC European Confederation Boxing Championships silver medallist and Commonwealth Games winner Pat McCormack has done better job and dominated his final against Moldova’s Vasilii Belous winning the title of the welterweight (69kg) in Galati.
Following Moldova’s Victor Carapcevschi close success over Serbia’s Djordje Bujisic at the middleweight (75kg) Ireland’s three-time EUBC European Champion Joseph Ward was confident in the final of the light heavyweight (81kg). The Irish star eliminated Wales’ Commonwealth Games winner 19-year-old Sammy Lee in the semi-final and he was better than Romania’s EUBC European U22 Champion Andrei Paul Aradoaie in the title contest.
Ukraine’s Serhii Horskov developed well in the recent one year and he proved his strong fighting spirit in the final against Ireland’s Chemistry Cup silver medallist Kirill Afanasev and won the heavyweight (91kg) in Galati. Romania’s EUBC European Confederation Boxing Championships silver medallist Mihai Nistor defeated Ireland’s Dean Gardiner in the semi-final and he continued his winning path against England’s star Frazer Clarke in the final of the super heavyweight (+91kg).
