La Piana and Tessari are the Italian heroes of Day4 at the EUBC European Confederation Youth Boxing Championships

The fourth competition day was held in the EUBC European Confederation Youth Boxing Championships in Roseto degli Abruzzi and the first 20 men boxers secured their guaranteed medals in 5 weight classes in the event. The best Italian women’s youth boxers as Martina La Piana and Biancamaria Tessari won their key contests with high confidence and both advanced to the quarter-finals of the event.

Altogether 52 preliminary and quarter-final bouts have been held in the fourth competition day in Roseto degli Abruzzi. The competition is the first ever EUBC European Confederation Youth Boxing Championships for both genders. The number of the youth women and men boxers is 334 from 40 countries in Roseto degli Abruzzi.

Hungary’s EUBC European Confederation Women’s Junior Boxing Championships bronze medallist Hanna Lakotar prepared well to the competition and arrived to Roseto degli Abruzzi in top shape. The 17-year-old Hungarian, who prepared with Norwegian, Latvian and Argentinean boxers in the training camp, dominated her opening fight against Poland’s Wiktoria Rogalinska and secured her place in the last eight at the flyweight (51kg).

Greece’s Chrysoula Plea has got strong family roots in our sport, her elder sister is member of their elite national team and she was able to follow the traditions in her opening contest in Roseto degli Abruzzi. The Greek talent, who joined to the youth age group only this January, was energetic in the first round against such an experienced rival as France’s Johanna Wonyou. Plea exceeded all of the previous expectations and eliminated her top French rival in their last 16 contest.

Italy’s defending EUBC European Women’s Junior Champion Martina La Piana is one of the favourites of the women’s flyweight (51kg) who did amazing job in her second contest in Roseto degli Abruzzi. The 17-year-old Italian talent felt the tempo better than her opponent Spain’s Miranda Reveron Rodriguez and her effectiveness in the attacks also were much better today. La Piana won the bout by unanimous decision and advanced to the quarter-finals but her minimum target is a medal.

Denmark’s lone woman competitor in Roseto degli Abruzzi Melissa Mortensen joined to the youth age group also in January and in spite of her first year in this level she impressed in the fourth competition day. The Danish bantamweight (54kg) boxer used her best fighting distance against Spain’s Tania Medina Ramos and took a quick lead after the first round. Mortensen, who trains with head coach Thomas Kyo, dominated the last round and eliminated her Spanish rival.

Italy’s Biancamaria Tessari is a tough boxer at the women’s bantamweight (54kg) but she had to meet with Ukraine’s EUBC European Confederation Women’s Youth Boxing Championships silver medallist Anastasia Lisinska in her preliminary bout. The 18-year-old Italian, who attended in the Guwahati 2017 AIBA Women’s Youth World Boxing Championships, was amazing against her technician Ukrainian rival and reduced the fighting distance successfully which delivered for Tessari a place in the last eight.

Slovakia’s Miroslava Jedinakova switched from kick-boxing to boxing in time to prepare well to the EUBC European Confederation Youth Boxing Championships. The Slovakian women’s team in the youth age group contains not only their star Jessica Triebelova but Jedinakova as well who proved her strength against a difficult opponent. Jedinakova, who won an international tournament just before the start of the event, was stronger than Turkey’s Gizem Ozer and defeated her rival in Roseto degli Abruzzi.

Hungary’s EUBC European Confederation Women’s Junior Boxing Championships bronze medallist Viktoria Ambrus defeated lot of her rivals by RSC during her career and she did the same strong performance in the preliminary round of the women’s welterweight (69kg) in Roseto degli Abruzzi. Her victim was Belarus’ experienced Alina Lahutsionak who received strong punches from the Hungarian side therefore the referee stopped their contest in the third round confirming Ambrus’ RSC victory.

France’s Ibrahim Boukedim joined to the national team last year and following his intense training sessions he was able to advance to the quarter-final of the men’s flyweight (52kg). The French boxer had to face in the quarter-final of his weight class with Armenia’s experienced Artur Bazeyan and delivered his best performance in the right time. Boukedim overcame his Armenian opponent in the attacks and has done amazing job until the end of the final bell which means he is the first boxer who won a guaranteed medal in Roseto degli Abruzzi.

Azerbaijan’s Nurlan Safarov won the Danas Pozniakas Youth Tournament and the Yukov Prizes Youth Tournament during his preparation to the EUBC European Confederation Youth Boxing Championships. The 17-year-old Azeri eliminated Bulgaria’s experienced Vensan Kirkorov and Russia’s EUBC European Confederation Junior Boxing Championships bronze medallist Kagir Minatullaev in the previous rounds and he did very best against Denmark’s Nikolai Terteryan. The final verdict was split decision to the Azeri lightweight (60kg) boxer who is also a guaranteed medallist.

Scotland’s EUBC European Confederation Junior Boxing Championships silver medallist Samuel Hickey amazed the judges with his strong performance in the last 16 when he defeated Lithuania’s Rokas Avizonis. The 18-year-old Scottish welterweight (69kg) boxer used his excellent tempo against a top rival Croatia’s Noa Jezek in the quarter-final and in spite of his difficulties in the final round Hickey was able to beat his rival by split decision.

England’s two-time EUBC European Women’s Junior Champion Caroline Dubois joined to the youth age group in January and quickly won their Youth National Championships. England’s best woman youth boxer had to meet with Finland’s EUBC European Confederation Women’s Junior Boxing Championships silver medallist Vilma Viitanen and she proved that she is one of the best talents in the world. The final verdict was unanimous decision to Dubois who advanced to the last eight of the women’s lightweight (60kg).