Croatia’s Gabrijel Veocic makes sensational triumph in the EUBC European Confederation Junior Boxing Championships
23 September 2017The quarter-finals were held in the 21st edition of the EUBC European Confederation Junior Boxing Championships in Albena, Bulgaria where the host country became the most successful after five competition days. The main sensation of the day was delivered by Croatia’s Gabrijel Veocic who eliminated Russia’s main favourite Nikita Chirvon.
Altogether 40 quarter-final bouts were in the official program of the fifth competition day when the competition was held still in two rings. The winners of today’s contests are guaranteed medallists and only the best 52 boxers remained in action.
The following weight classes were in action in Albena on Day5: pinweight (46kg), flyweight (50kg), light bantamweight (52kg), bantamweight (52kg), lightweight (60kg), light welterweight (63kg), welterweight (66kg), middleweight (75kg), light heavyweight (80kg) and heavyweight (+80kg).
The following 17 countries achieved at least one medal after the quarter-finals in the EUBC European Confederation Junior Boxing Championships in Albena:
– Bulgaria: 10 medals
– Russia: 9 medals
– Ukraine: 6 medals
– Georgia, Moldova, Romania: 3 medals
– Azerbaijan, Croatia, England, Ireland, Italy, Lithuania, Slovakia: 2 medals
– Armenia, Denmark, Germany, Turkey: 1 medal
Ireland’s Jude Gallagher eliminated the main favorites such as England’s Cameron Paul and Azerbaijan’s Maksud Khasmetov in the previous rounds of the pinweight (46kg). The 16-year-old Irish talent was more tired after these big battles than his Georgian opponent, Luka Kublashvili therefore Gallagher’s road was ended in the quarter-final. The Heydar Aliyev Junior Tournament silver medallist Georgian talent won their contest by split decision.
Bulgaria’s Nikolay Atanasov won the Podgorica Junior Trophy in April and since then he moved down to the flyweight (50kg). The 16-year-old experienced Bulgarian boxer continued his winning path in the EUBC European Confederation Junior Boxing Championships and eliminated Poland’s Pawel Brach in his key contest. Atanasov will now meeting with Romania’s Madalin Popescu who defeated Turkey’s Duha Emirhan Altintas.
Georgia’s Mamuka Abuladze achieved silver medal in the 2016 Heydar Aliyev Junior Cup in Baku when he spent his first year in the junior level. The 16-year-old Georgian light bantamweight (52kg) boxer won that tough competition in Azerbaijan and his experiences paid off in Albena where he triumphed over Moldova’s No.1 Adrian Bucsa in the quarter-final and bagged a guaranteed medal.
England’s junior No.1 Jack Oliphant was quarter-finalist in the recent two EUBC continental events in 2015 and in 2016. Following he missed the last step to get a medal, Oliphant was able to take his last hurdle in the quarter-final for his most expected podium place. The 16-year-old English light welterweight (63kg) boxer defeated Russia’s Anatoliy Fedotkin in a superb contest and now he can faces with Azerbaijan’s Salim Salimov.
Slovakia’s Viktor Kiss is well-known from the international events since 2015 but his guaranteed medal at the welterweight (66kg) is a great sensation. The Bornemissza Memorial Tournament bronze medallist Slovakian felt the tempo better than Estonia’s Maksim Ljubimov and advanced to the last four in Albena.
Croatia’s Gabrijel Veocic claimed bronze medal in the last edition of the EUBC European Confederation Junior Boxing Championships but he was not the favourite against EUBC European Schoolboys Champion Russia’s Nikita Chirvon who dominated all of his contests in 2017. The Croatian middleweight (75kg) boxer was slightly better in the bout of the day and delivered the main sensation in Albena.
Ukraine’s Maksym Drach defeated all of his rivals in their Junior National Championships by RSC and dominated his first contest in the EUBC European Confederation Junior Boxing Championships in Albena. The Ukrainian heavyweight (+80kg) boxer was shocked by Denmark’s Mathias Nissen Hansen who launched lethal punches in the first round and the Israeli referee confirmed the Nordic success after 101 seconds.
