Eleven countries represent boxers in the finals of the EUBC European Union Women’s Boxing Championships

The top 20 ladies remained in action at the EUBC European Union Women’s Boxing Championships following the semi-finals were held in Cascia, Italy. Turkey will be representing four boxers in the finals of the competition while host Italians and Germany both will have three finalists in Cascia.

After the semi-finals of the EUBC European Union Women’s Boxing Championships Bulgaria, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Poland, Sweden, and Turkey kept their chance alive to get a title in Cascia. The 20 finalists arrived from 11 different countries which is record in the history of the event.

Bulgaria’s Sevda Asenova is a key boxer at the light flyweight (48kg) since 2006 and her stamina besides her experiences are enough to win top bouts against younger talents. The Bulgarian veteran was quicker and more effective than Poland’s Adriana Marczewska therefore she will be boxing for the title with Italy’s 20-year-old Roberta Bonatti who eliminated Czech Republic’s Petra Lastovkova in the semi-final.

Sweden’s 32-year-old Lise Sandebjer was silver medallist in the 2016 EUBC European Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships in Sofia but currently she is fighting at the Olympic flyweight (51kg). The experienced Swedish boxer is not the tallest boxer in this category but she was able to reduce the fighting distance against Italy’s Roberta Mostarda and her energetic style delivered for her a place in the finals.

Italy’s No.1 woman boxer Alessia Mesiano is the defending AIBA Women’s World Champion at the featherweight (57kg) but in the quarter-final stage of the EUBC European Union Women’s Boxing Championships she had to eliminate Bulgaria’s AIBA Women’s World Champion Stanimira Petrova. Mesiano has done better job in the semi-final where she triumphed over France’s Mona Mestiaen and will be meeting for the title with Germany’s Ornella Wahner in Cascia.

Finland’s Mira Potkonen began boxing only in 2006 when she was 26 but after a few years of hard work and experiences she could win key contests in the recent Olympic era. The Finnish lightweight (60kg) boxer achieved bronze medals in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and also in the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in Astana therefore her dominating success over England’s newcomer Shona Whitwell was not a surprise in Cascia. Potkonen’s final opponent will be Ireland’s Kellie Harrington who eliminated Italy’s Rio 2016 Olympian Irma Testa in a spectacular bout.

Germany’s Nadine Apetz reached her career highlight when she took a valuable bronze medal in the Astana 2016 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships. Since then she did not compete in many events but she returned to the international level in top shape in Cascia. The German welterweight (69kg) boxer gave in everything to beat Ireland’s Grainne Walsh and will be meeting for the title with Poland’s Hanna Solecka.

Netherlands’ Rio 2016 Olympic Games silver medallist Nouchka Fontijn is one of the best European woman boxer who had to do her very best against England’s EUBC European Champion Natasha Gale in the semi-final of the middleweight (75kg). The Dutch star’s hand was raised after the final bell winning the bout by split decision and she can expects another hard fight against Turkey’s super talented AIBA Women’s Youth World Champion 19-year-old Busenaz Surmeneli.

The finals of the EUBC European Union Women’s Boxing Championships will be starting at 4pm on Saturday in Cascia.