Joosep Palm and Dorulet Tiu were the heroes of the last part of the quarter-finals at the EUBC Junior European Boxing Championships

The third and last part of the quarter-finals were held in the EUBC Junior European Boxing Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria today. Estonia’s 15-year-old Joosep Palm was able to turn back his contest and delivered a medal for his developing country while Romania’s Dorulet Tiu caused a strong surprise on Day5.

The re-scheduled competition moved to Bulgaria’ capital where all of the requirements, experiences and professional organizational team are waiting for the participants. Boxers who were born in 2004 and in 2005 are eligible to attend in the EUBC Junior European Confederation Boxing Championships in Sofia.

The following nations are attending in the EUBC Junior European Boxing Championships Sofia 2020: Albania, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, France, Israel, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden and Ukraine.

The European Boxing Confederation’s medical and safety rules are very strict in the whole competition as it was followed in Montenegro. The safety of all participants, the continuous medical checks, the social distancing, the hygienic preparations, wearing masks and all of the health controls are the responsibility of the local organizers in Bulgaria to avoid any new Covid-19 cases during the EUBC Junior European Confederation Boxing Championships.

The bout of the day

Estonia’s Joosep Palm won his last four National Championships and attended in the 2019 EUBC European Junior Boxing Championships in Tbilisi where he had a tight loss from a powerful Azeri boxer. The 15-year-old boxer won all of his contests this year but he was nervous in the first round against Latvia’s Renats Sarovs in the quarter-finals of the lightweight (60kg). Palm received great advices from his coaches in the first round, calmed down and followed the strategy better from the second rounds. The Baltic nation’s best junior boxer’s strong efforts delivered a fantastic medal for Estonia in Sofia.

The surprise of the day

Russia’s Boris Eroshkin has got already strong international experiences following he attended at the 2019 EUBC European Junior Boxing Championships in Galati. The 16-year-old Russian moved up from the light flyweight (48kg) up to the lightweight (60kg) in the recent one and half year but he acclimatized to the category quickly. The Russian boxer’s hooks were dangerous for his opponent, Dorulet Tiu in the first minute but the Romanian adopted the rhythm of the contest. The 16-year-old Romanian was brave, had the strong motivation in the bout and kept Eroshkin on close distance therefore he caused a big surprise winning the contest in Sofia.

The Round-up

France’s Schwerin International Junior Tournament silver medallist Mohamed Stitou had the clear tactical task in the quarter-finals of the lightweight (60kg) against Ukraine’ tall Oleksandr Yarovyi. The French boxer tried to catch his 16-year-old opponent who dominated the Junior National Championships in his home. Yarovyi felt the distance from the first seconds and his hooks and jabs stopped the French attacks well enough which tactical superiority continued until the final gong.

Bulgaria’s lightweight (60kg) hope, Toni Sotirov is only 15 but he won all of his contests this year and the local talent amazed in the fifth day of boxing. Sotirov faced with Lithuania’s Edgaras Trotenskis and used an aggressive style against his tall Baltic opponent. The Bulgarian was faster than the Lithuanian and his quick combinations decided their contest in Sofia where he controlled all of the three rounds.

Russia’s two-time EUBC European Schoolboys Champion Sergei Koldenkov is the absolute favourite of the men’s welterweight (66kg) in Sofia and opened the first round against Ukraine’s Ravan Zeynalov in fantastic rhythm. The Ukrainian had to go to the medical corner in the second round following Koldenkov’s powerful shots but he could continue the fight. The Russian boxer impressed once again in the Bulgarian capital and won the quarter-final by unanimous decision.

Ukraine’s top junior boxer Oleksandr Balabin controlled the first round of his quarter-final against Lithuania’s Jurgis Savickas who came from a boxing family. The Ukrainian light middleweight (70kg) boxer dictated the tempo which was too strong for the Lithuanian in the second and third rounds. Balabin landed high number of combinations which he duplicated in the third round therefore the Ukrainian became the guaranteed medallist in Sofia. Balabin will be boxing for the finals with Russia’s Yaroslav Shikhov who eliminated Croatia’s Gabriel Debanic in a top contest.

Bulgaria’s Sergi Vladoyanu claimed silver medal at the 2018 EUBC European Schoolboys Boxing Championships and following his impressive junior developments, he was named as one of the favourites at the light middleweight (70kg). The 16-year-old Romanian-descent local boxer was taller than Israel’s Udai Suleiman but he moved ahead also successfully. Vladoyanu was patient, enjoyed the bout from the second round and delivered virtuoso style of boxing in the quarter-finals.

Ukraine’s Valeriy Shulha won high number of national events in the recent years and stopped most of his opponents. The powerful Ukrainian met in a key quarter-final with Croatia’s 15-year-old Lovro Pavcec who achieved silver medal at the 2019 EUBC European Schoolboys Boxing Championships. The younger Croatian began the heavyweight (+80kg) quarter-final better in Sofia but Shulha came back to the second in the second. The final verdict was depended by their performance in the third round when Shulha enough looked active against the tiring Croatian.