Latvia’s Daniels Zagorskid won his opening bout at the EUBC Schoolboys & Schoolgirls European Boxing Championships

Thirteen contests have been held in the first competition day at the EUBC Schoolboys & Schoolgirls European Boxing Championships in Sarajevo where thirteen preliminary contests were on the schedule of the debuting session. Latvia’s new sensation Daniels Zagorskid impressed in the first day of boxing and eliminated a valuable Turkish opponent on Day1.

Altogether 274 boxers are attending in the third Confederation’s event of the year after the U22 and junior talents and eight weight classes were in action in the opening day. The Technical Delegate of the event is Mr. Marko Marovic of Croatia while the Sports Director is Mr. Dragoljub Radovic of Montenegro.

Altogether 78 schoolgirls can attend in their thirteen weight classes in Sarajevo while the number of the participating schoolboys is 196 in the sixteen weight categories. The competition period of the EUBC Schoolboys & Schoolgirls European Boxing Championships is August 12-20.

The number of the participating nations is 25 in the competition: Albania, Armenia, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Georgia, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, North Macedonia, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Turkey and Ukraine.

The bout of the day

Latvia’s Daniels Zagorskid began the first round with excellent rhythm against Turkey’s Davut Saydam and took the lead on the scorecards after one and half minute. The 70kg Latvian boxer followed his coach’s instruction successfully in the first round but the 14-year-old Turkish returned to the match in the second. Saydam tried to use his longer reach better in the second part of the bout but Zagorskid was strong enough to eliminate his Turkish opponent advancing to the quarter-finals.

The surprise of the day

Lithuania’s Dovydas Vasiliauskas came from a boxing family but the Baltic boxer was in trouble quickly against Moldova’s Ian Iavorschii which was the next contest at the 70kg weight class. The referee counted the Lithuanian in the first round and after that moment Iavorschii was more confident. The Moldovan took the lead on the scorecards and he looked quicker and more effective than his Lithuanian opponent. Vasiliauskas was brave, moved ahead but stepped into Iavorschii’s best fighting range and received tough jabs. The Lithuanian found his best range in the third round but his efforts were not enough to turn back their contest in Sarajevo.

The Round-up

Seventeen boxers are attending in the men’s 40kg weight category and two of them had to fight for the last 16. Hungary’s Schoolboys National Cup winner Rikardo Joni met with Italy’s Sasha Mencaroni who had only five contests during his whole career. Hungarian southpaw kept the best fighting distance in the first round and used his longer reach against the attacking Italian. Mencaroni was energetic in the second round but Joni’s counter-attacks decided their contest in Sarajevo.

Ukraine’s Karim Huseinov and Romania’s Ivan Gabriel Leon began the first round of their 63kg battle in excellent rhythm. Both boxers landed high number of clear punches and attacked from the first seconds until the last of the first round. The Ukrainian had successful hooks and his left hand was dangerous for the Romanian who also adopted the tempo of the bout. Huseinov was more punctual in their contest and secure his place in the quarter-finals of the weight category.

Russia’s Artem Roslov won three out of his four contests quickly in the first round using his strength in their Schoolboys National Championships this May. The 14-year-old Russian caught his Hungarian opponent, Beni Tary with powerful shots in the first round therefore the referee counted his rival. Roslov, who trains in the Altay region of the country, reduced the fighting distance successfully while the speed of the Hungarian boxer was not enough to avoid the Russian attacks. The taller Hungarian received high number of shots in the second therefore the Kosovan referee confirmed Roslov’s RSC victory at the 70kg.

Romania’s second boxer in action in the opening day of the EUBC Schoolboys & Schoolgirls European Boxing Championships was Stefan Mario Teodosescu at the 70kg weight category. The 14-year-old Romanian overcame Croatia’s Ivano Jaksic in the attacks and landed good jabs in the first round. The Croatian proved honest boxing in the second round and tried to increase the rhythm but his brave attacks got the chance for Teodosescu to respond with quicker punches. The Romanian dominated the second part and eliminated his Croatian opponent in Sarajevo reaching the last eight.

Nine boxers compete at the 80kg weight category in the EUBC Schoolboys European Boxing Championships. Hungary’s Zalan Schmolcz met with Moldova’s Ivan Crasnojon in the first preliminary round of the weight class for the last eight. The Hungarian caught the Moldovan opponent with a right-handed jab in the first round and he dictated the tempo. Crasnojon tried to keep the distance from the Hungarian and counter-attacked more efficiently in the second round of their tactical battle. Schmolcz used his strength well enough in the third round and he was active in the final period to win the contest.