Eight European nations represent the finals at the AIBA World Boxing Championships

Russian Boxing Federation, France, Azerbaijan, Armenia, Turkey, Ukraine, Belarus and Italy are the European which have got finalists at the AIBA World Boxing Championships in Belgrade, Serbia after the exciting semi-finals.  

The Russian Boxing Federation, Georgia, France, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Italy, Belgium, Armenia, Turkey, Scotland, Albania, Ukraine, Serbia and Spain are the medallist nations in the European Boxing Confederation.   

Following ten competition days, 484 bouts are concluded in the AIBA Men’s Elite World Boxing Championships where the total number of boxers is 510 from 88 nations representing four Confederations. Among the 88 countries, 38 arrived from the European continent which competes with 246 boxers in Serbia’s capital city. The Technical Delegate of the AIBA Men’s Elite World Boxing Championships is Mr. Marko Marovic of Croatia.  

The bout of the day

Turkey’s Kerem Ozmen was quarter-finalist at the 2021 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in Kielce half year ago but he surprised all of his opponents with his developments at the light welterweight (63.5kg). He eliminated more experienced rivals such as Hungary’s Richard Kovacs and India’s veteran Shiva Thapa during his road to the semi-finals. The teenager met with Scotland’s 20-year-old Reese Lynch in the last four which was one of the most hectic contests of the semi-finals. The Kyrgyz referee counted Ozmen once but Lynch twice during their amazing contest which was decisive between them today. The 19-year-old Turkish will be boxing for the title with Cuba’s star Andy Cruz who is unbeaten since October 2015.

The surprise of the day

Spain’s Emmanuel Reyes and Italy’s Aziz Abbes Mouhiidine are quick boxers at the heavyweight (92kg), both have got strong athletic skills and experiences from the big championships. The ex-Cuban Spaniard was the favourite of their contest following his performance in the recent two years. The 23-year-old Italian produced a wonderful year in 2018 when he won three big events and he found his glorious way back in this championship. Mouhiidine overcame Reyes in some of the exchanges and he wanted this success so much today.

The Round-Up

France’s AIBA World Champion and multiple international event’s medallist Sofiane Oumiha had excellent performance during his road to the semi-finals of the lightweight (60kg) in Belgrade. The 27-year-old French moved back to his best category and enjoyed his contests so much in this championship. Oumiha had a hard contest in the quarter-final and he kept his full concentration against Dominican Republic’s Alexy Miguel De La Cruz. His Caribbean opponent was patient and tried to use Oumiha’s tactic to surprise the French but it was not enough successful. Oumiha could change his tempo and strategy during the bout and he can prepare to his second final after Hamburg.

Russian Boxing Federation’s AIBA Youth World Champion and two-time EUBC European Youth Champion Dzhambulat Bizhamov is only 20-year-old but he won their Elite National Championships already twice. The Russian met with another young talent, Thailand Boxing Federation’s ASBC Asian Youth Champion Weerapon Jongjoho and opened the first round better than his Asian opponent. The Thai moved ahead more in the second round but Bizhamov handled these attacks and responded with counter-strikes. The Russian decided the contest in the third round and stopped his Thai opponent advancing to the final of the middleweight (75kg).

Loren Berto Alfonso represented Cuba until 2017 when he switched to Azerbaijan and had the chance to compete in the international stage. The 26-year-old boxer moved up to the cruiserweight (86kg) and following his gold medal in the last European Games, he worked hard in the semi-final to reach his next final. Alfonso met with Cuba’s Herich Ruiz in a unique semi-final and took the control from the first round against his experienced rival. Azerbaijan’s best boxer worked from longer range and his tactical weapons guaranteed his success which means he can box against Brazil’s Keno Machado for the gold medal.

Armenia’s David Chaloyan is one of the main surprises of the AIBA World Boxing Championships who replaced Gurgen Hovhannisyan at the super heavyweight (+92kg). The newly crowned Armenian National Champion returned to the team and eliminated such strong boxers as Ukraine’s Tsotne Rogava, Colombia’s Cristian Salcedo and Uzbekistan’s Lazizbek Mullojonov. The Armenian controlled his semi-final bout against Azerbaijan’s 22-year-old Mahammad Abdullayev and advanced to the final. His final opponent will be Russian Boxing Federation’s Mark Petrovskii who bowed out Trinidad & Tobago’s first ever medallist, Nigel Paul.

Russian Boxing Federation’s Vadim Musaev started his campaign with a KO success in the AIBA World Boxing Championships and moved forward step by step in this event. The 28-year-old Russian boxer was in the shadow of their star, Andrey Zamkovoy in the previous years but he proved his impressive strength in Belgrade. The Russian boxer landed powerful jabs against Albania’s historical medallist Alban Beqiri in the first and second rounds and he had the physical condition to do in the same way until the very end of their light middleweight (71kg) semi-final.

Ukraine’s biggest boxing talent, the 19-year-old Yuriy Zakharieiev was the lone boxer from their delegation who advanced to the semi-finals in Belgrade. The AIBA Youth World Champion and two-time EUBC European Youth Championships gold medallist had a quick opponent from Azerbaijan, Sarkhan Aliyev in the last four. Following the first equal round, Zakharieiev turned up the heat and he regained the control of the bout with tough shots. The Ukrainian used excellent rhythm and landed powerful jabs to win their light middleweight (71kg) semi-final in Belgrade.

Belarus’ Yauheni Karmilchyk achieved bronze medal at the minimumweight (48kg) in Belgrade but their 21-year-old Aliaksei Alfiorau reached an even better result in the day of the semi-finals. The Belarusian boxer began boxing in 2010 and after eleven years of experiences the young hope shined in this championship. The AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Alfiorau found his best rhythm in the middle of the first round and he could beat a top quality rival, Russian Boxing Federation’s Savelii Sadoma which means he can box for the gold medal with United States’ Robby Gonzales.

The quote of the day

“The tactic was perfect for today, great thanks for my coaches who arranged this and worked on that a lot. Emmanuel Reyes is a so experienced boxer, it is really hard to beat him but I could do that with our strategy,” added Italy’s Aziz Abbes Mouhiidine to his semi-final success at the heavyweight (92kg).