Hungary, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Sweden, Belgium and Croatia won the titles at the Maribor Cup

The Maribor Cup is a new international competition in the European boxing calendar but the event was held in a picturesque environment and organized in high level. Hungary, Switzerland, Czech Republic, Slovenia, Sweden, Belgium and Croatia won the fourteen titles in the Maribor Cup.

The Maribor Cup was held for the men’s elite and youth boxers in Slovenia where several promising talented competed in the international competition. The event was preparation for the 2003-2004 born boxers before the EUBC Youth European Boxing Championships which will be held in Budva, Montenegro in October 12-22.

The safety of all participants, the continuous medical checks, the social distancing, the hygienic preparations, wearing masks and all of the health controls were the responsibility of the local organizers in Slovenia avoid any new Covid-19 cases during the new Maribor Cup.

The bout of the day

Hungary’s Soma Mester competed in the international stage as a youth boxer in 2018 and in 2019 and he returned to the events as elite this year. The silver medallist from the last Hungarian National Championships stopped Slovenia’s Marko Makovec in the semi-finals of the middleweight (75kg) and had to meet with another local boxer for the title. The 20-year-old Hungarian started better the final than Slovenia’s Edin Sejdinovic who competed at the 2014 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships and returned to the boxing events. Sejdinovic was a strong rival for the young Hungarian but Mester managed to win the best final of the third competition day.

The surprise of the day

Belgium’s Vasile Usturoi competed in the previous major competitions such as the European Games, AIBA World Boxing Championships and the European Olympic Boxing Qualifying Event. The Belgian boxer moved up to the lightweight (60kg) and advanced to the final of the Maribor Cup in Slovenia. Usturoi was the favourite against Hungary’s Roland Veres in the final but he could not find the weak points of his opponent. Veres, who switched from kick-boxing, exceeded his previous level and won the title of this elite weight class.

The Round-up

The first youth medal of the Maribor Cup was achieved by Hungary’s 17-year-old Milan Petriman who defeated Sinaj Krec Strukelj in the final of the light welterweight (64kg). The Hungarian boxer dominated all of the three rounds in the gold medal contest and deserved to win the title in Maribor. His brother, Patrik claimed silver medal in the event following his loss to Switzerland’s new youth hope Adam Messibah at the welterweight (69kg). The youth super heavyweight (+91kg) was won by Slovenia’s Muhamed Kovacevic who had a clear success over his teammate, Jan Sega.

Sweden’s Ibrahim Nebil impressed in the Maribor Cup and claimed his nation’s first title at the elite bantamweight (56kg). The Swedish talent was technically and tactically better than Slovenia’s Mohammad Dawood Rezai and won the gold medal of his weight class. Sweden’s second gold medal in the event was taken by a young talent, Peter Ahlberg who had a narrow success over Slovenia’s Aljaz Sircelj. 

Hungary’s Richard Kovacs was quarter-finalist at the Kharkiv 2017 EUBC European Boxing Championships at the age of 20 and since then he developed his technical level well enough. The Hungarian, who won the Bocskai Memorial Tournament this year, met with Slovenia’s experienced Nik Nikolov Veber who had strong youth results in the recent years. Kovacs used his long distance tactic, he could control most of the exchanges and won his next international tournament title. Another strong performance was delivered by Belgium’s Victor Schelstraete who stopped Slovenia’s Aljaz Ban at the heavyweight (91kg) in Maribor.