Georgia, Russia and Ukraine impressed in the men’s semi-finals in Targu Jiu
31 March 2018Today’s winners advanced to the finals of the EUBC European Confederation U22 Boxing Championships and remained their golden dreams alive in Targu Jiu. The Russian, the Ukrainian and the Georgian teams are impressed in the seventh day when the men’s semi-finals were in the official program.
The best 20 men and 20 women advanced to the finals from the following 16 countries:
– Turkey: 6 boxers
– Italy, Russia, Ukraine: 4 boxers
– Georgia, Poland, Romania: 3 boxers
– Bulgaria, Croatia, England, Ireland: 2 boxers
– Azerbaijan, Belarus, France, Hungary, Spain: 1 boxer
Georgia’s EUBC European Youth Champion and EUBC European Junior Champion Sakhil Allakhverdovi caught his taller German opponent Omar Salah Ibrahim in the end of the first round in their semi-final. The 19-year-old Georgian light flyweight (49kg) boxer impressed in the second round and following his lethal punch he delivered a classical knock out and will be meeting for the title with Russia’s Islam Abumuslimov.
Georgia’s EUBC European Confederation U22 Boxing Championships silver medallist Lasha Guruli was patient in the first round and worked from longer distance against Germany’s Wladislaw Baryshnik. The Georgian light welterweight (64kg) boxer was a hard target for the German boxer and his counter-attacks worked also well. Guruli stopped Baryshnik’s attacks in the right moments and the German had to go to the medical corner after the Georgian jabs. The 22-year-old Guruli eliminated his German opponent and advanced to his second final within one year.
Romania’s defending EUBC European U22 Champion Robert Jitaru eliminated a top Irish opponent and Ruslan Belousov of Russia in the previous rounds. The Romanian bantamweight (56kg) boxer felt the support of the home crowd in his semi-final against Bulgaria’s Boyan Asenov and gave in everything. Jitaru delivered his best round in the second when his tactic worked effectively and took the lead. The Romanian boxer performed better than his talented and younger Bulgarian opponent which means Jitaru remained his chance alive to defend his throne.
Georgia’s third semi-finalist in Targu Jiu was Giorgi Kharabadze who moved up to the middleweight (75kg) only in the recent months. The 21-year-old Georgian attacked more in the first round than his opponent Israel’s Mikhael Ostroumov and tried to get the control quickly. Kharabadze launched tough uppercuts in the second round and proved he is in better form than his Israeli rival. The final verdict was unanimous decision to Kharabadze which meant Georgia won three of their three contests in the semi-finals.
Russia’s EUBC European Confederation Boxing Championships silver medallist and 2015 EUBC European Youth Champion Muslim Gadzhimagomedov is the new star of the heavyweight (91kg). The 20-year-old Russian eliminated Georgia’s EUBC European Youth Champion Nikoloz Begadze in the quarter-finals and had to meet with another top rival Armenia’s Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games bronze medallist Narek Manasyan. The Armenian moved ahead and tried to reduce the fighting distance but Gadzhimagomedov’s longer reach determined their battle and the Russian joined to the final.
Spain’s Gabriel Escobar was silver medallist in the last edition of the EUBC European Confederation U22 Boxing Championships and he was impressed in the first round against Russia’s Maksim Stakheev. Escobar’s quick left-handed hooks shocked the Russian in the first round but Stakheev also had a few effective shots. The 22-year-old Spanish flyweight (52kg) boxer dictated the tempo until the end of the final gong and his triumph means he can box for the title with Bulgaria’s Daniel Asenov once again after the 2017 edition.
Belarus’ AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Dzmitry Asanau dominated his previous contests at the EUBC European Confederation U22 Boxing Championships in Targu Jiu. The top Belarusian lightweight (60kg) boxer moved back before launching his counter-attacks in the first round against Georgia’s Otar Naveriani. The younger Caucasian boxer moved forward but Asanau was effective from longer distance and his footwork was world class once again. Asanau advanced to the final of the competition and will be meeting with Russia’s Albert Batyrgaziev.
Italy’s Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympian Vincenzo Arecchia and England’s Carl Fail both had hard road to the semi-finals of the welterweight (69kg). The taller English boxer found his distance in the end of the first round when he caught his Italian rival with massive punches. Arecchia used his tricky style and some of his jabs reached the English boxer in the second round but Fail was able to keep his best distance in the third. The final verdict was split decision to the English boxer who will be meeting with Ukraine’s Maksim Pylypets for the title of the competition.
Croatia’s Leo Cvetkovic was quarter-finalist in the St. Petersburg 2016 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships and showed massive development. The 19-year-old Croatian light heavyweight (81kg) boxer landed powerful punches in the first round and the referee counted his German opponent, Athanasios Kazakis. The two-years younger Croatian dominated the first round and he was able to keep the same level until the last gong and marched to the final of the continental event.
Russia’s EUBC European Youth Champion Vladislav Muravin finally involved to their U22 team and that decision paid off in Targu Jiu where he advanced to the semi-final of the super heavyweight (+91kg). The 20-year-old Russian had a hard opponent in the last four, Croatia’s Marko Milun who claimed bronze in the Bocskai Memorial Tournament. The Russian boxer controlled the first round but Milun’s stamina was enough to return with tough punches. The Croatian boxer did a remarkable fifth round and defeated his tough Russian opponent by split decision.
