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Cakiroglu, Akbas, Surmeneli and Demir secured emotional gold medals for Turkey

One of the top events of the year, the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships finished with its eleventh competition day but the next, the EUBC European Men’s Elite Boxing Championships will start on the 22nd. The second part of the finals featured at the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in Istanbul’s Basaksehir Arena. The Turkish boxing fans will never forget this impressive day as all of their finalists won the gold medals.

Out of the six gold medals, four were achieved by European boxers on Day10, Turkey’s Ayse Cagirir, Ireland’s duo Amy Broadhurst and Lisa O’Rourke, and Lithuania’s historic champion Gabriele Stonkute. Turkey’s quartet, Busenaz Cakiroglu, Hatice Akbas, Busenaz Surmeneli and Sennur Demir joined them and won gold medals on Day11.

Armenia, Bulgaria, Croatia, England, Fair Chance Team, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine and Wales are representing the European Boxing Confederation in the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships. The number of European boxers is 118 in Istanbul representing 27 different nations from all of the regions of the continent.

The bout of the day – Cakiroglu won her first world title

Turkey’s Busenaz Cakiroglu has excellent pedigree, silver medals from the Tokyo Olympic Games and the 2019 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships, furthermore a gold from the European Games. The Turkish boxer suffered an unexpected loss in a preparation event and decided to move down to the light flyweight (50kg). Cakiroglu met Colombia’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games bronze medallist veteran Ingrit Valencia in the first final of the last competition day. The 26-year-old Turkish was patient in the whole final and deserved to win the gold medal of the championship against the satisfied South American.

The surprise of the day – Hatice Akbas is the new young star

Turkey’s Hatice Akbas earned the gold medal at the EUBC U22 European Boxing Championships this March and since the Croatian event, she moved up to the bantamweight (54kg). She is taller than almost all of her opponents and the local girl used her height advantage well against Romania’s Lacramioara Perijoc in the first round. The defending EUBC European Elite Champion tried to move closer to the younger Turkish in the second round but she was not able to control this fight today. Akbas had the strong support from the crowd and achieved Turkey’s third gold medal in this championship.

The Round-Up

Turkey’s Busenaz Surmeneli is the defending Olympic Champion and World Champion, furthermore one of the top stars of the entire championship. The Turkish welterweight (66kg) boxer had tough quarter-final and semi-final contests but she was highly confident in her final bout today. Surmeneli had a younger final opponent, Charlie Cavanagh of Canada who won the title at the Budapest 2018 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships. The Canadian tried to keep Surmeneli on long but she was not able to make it only in the first minute of the final. The Turkish No.1 was much stronger and experienced in this final earning Turkey’s fourth gold medal and defending her throne.

The fourth Turkish finalist in the last competition day was a veteran boxer, Sennur Demir who moved up from the middleweight (75kg) up to the heavyweight (+81kg) in the beginning of the year to achieve her first world title after her silver and bronze medals. Demir faced Morocco’s experienced Khadija Mardi, a bronze medallist from the 2019 edition who had the same career pathway as the Turkish boxer. The Moroccan opened the first round better today and she had advantage after three minutes but Demir felt the support of the fans and she made an impressive second period. The Turkish boxer knocked down the North African in the second round and finally she won the last bout of the championship by split decision.

The quote of the day

“The atmosphere of the final was fantastic today, thanks to everyone who supported me. I was looking forward to my final and it is hard to believe that I made it in Istanbul. My coaches built-up the best tactics, I am so grateful for their work,” said Turkey’s 21-year-old Hatice Akbas who bagged her first title among the U22 boxers, which followed a world elite title.