Khataev and Usturoi are the heroes of Day3 at the Yekaterinburg 2019 AIBA World Boxing Championships
12 September 2019Boxers from the bantamweight (57kg) were in actions in the third day of boxing at the Yekaterinburg 2019 AIBA World Boxing Championships. Finland’s Arslan Khataev won the tightest bout of the day and following Victor Schelstraete, another Belgian, Vasile Usturoi delivered the main surprise of the day.
Among the participating 78 nations and 365 boxers, Europe represents the Yekaterinburg 2019 AIBA World Boxing Championships with 169 athletes from 36 countries. The following 36 European nations are attending in the AIBA World Boxing Championships in Yekaterinburg: Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Lithuania, Moldova, Monaco, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and Wales.
Bout of the day
Finland’s Arslan Khataev reached strong junior and youth results and among the elites he reached the throne finally at the Gee Bee Tournament this March. The former EUBC European Youth Boxing Championships silver medallist boxer had to meet with Guyana’s Commonwealth Youth Games runner-up Keevin Allicock at the bantamweight (57kg) on Day3. Khataev used his jabs to stop the Guyana attacks but his younger opponent was able to catch him several times with hooks. Finland’s best male boxer was able to change his rhythm in time to win the tightest contest of the day.
Surprise of the day
Belgium’s Vasile Usturoi has done a big surprise in the Minsk 2019 European Games when he defeated Hungary’s EUBC European Boxing Championships bronze medallist Nandor Csoka in the preliminary stage. The Belgian boxer had extra motivation on Day3 following his teammate Victor Schelstraete knocked out a top opponent previously. Usturoi shocked Dominican Republic’s Panamerican Games bronze medallist Alexis Miguel De La Cruz who defeated already Cuban boxers during his career. The Belgian exceeded all of the expectations and defeated a medal favourite causing the major upset of the day.
The Round-Up
Moldova’s former EUBC European Youth Champion Dorin Bucsa had a physically tough opponent DR Congo’s Nathan Lunata Nkosi in their bantamweight (57kg) meeting on Day3. Bucsa is the oldest boxer in their family and his younger brother is also attending in the Yekaterinburg 2019 AIBA World Boxing Championships. Dorin landed enough punches mainly in the second and third rounds to eliminate his African rival.
Bulgaria’s Boyan Asenov is two-time EUBC European Champion Daniel’s younger brother who developed rapidly in the recent one and half year. The 20-year-old Bulgarian met with an even younger rival Slovenia’s Nik Nikolov Veber who joined to the elite age group only this January. As expected Asenov tried to rule the middle of the ring and his attacking tactic paid off on Day3 advancing to the last 32.
Hungary’s former EUBC European Youth Champion Roland Galos moved down to the bantamweight (57kg) but won his opening bout against Chinese Taipei’s ASBC Asian Boxing Championships quarter-finalist Chen Po Yi clearly. The 24-year-old Hungarian will be meeting with Denmark’s Boxam Tournament winner, No.1 Frederik Lundgaard Jensen who eliminated Australia’s Jack Denahy in a one-sided bout.
