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Lewis Richardson eliminated the Moroccan World Champion at the Tammer Tournament opener

The new 42nd Tammer Tournament opened in the city of Tampere where the bouts have been divided into two sessions. Morocco’s former World Champion Mohammed Rabii returned to the international events in Tampere but he suffered a loss to England’s Lewis Richardson on Day1.   

The registered countries of the Tammer Tournament are Belgium, Brazil, Cape Verde, England, Estonia, Finland, Hong Kong, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Morocco, Norway, Portugal, Sweden, and Wales. The boxers can compete in two female weight categories and eleven men divisions in the new Tammer Tournament.

Tampere hosted the 1993 World Boxing Championships and the 2000 European Boxing Championships in the past. The host and the head of the organizers of the tournament is the local boxing association and one of our experienced Technical Delegates, Ms. Anna Laukkanen of Finland. Her key role in the Tammer Tournament will guarantee unforgettable moments for the teams and professional organization.

The venue of the traditional competition is the Pyynikki Sports Hall as in the previous years. The competition will be held in two female and eleven male weight categories in Tampere as in the 41st edition. The Tammer Tournament was launched in 1977 and the city of Tampere hosted the AIBA Men’s Elite World Boxing Championships in 1993.

The bout of the day

Ireland’s Jude Gallagher earned a bronze medal at the 2018 Youth World Boxing Championships in Budapest and he amazed as an elite boxer this year. The Irish featherweight (57kg) boxer claimed a fantastic gold medal at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham this summer and after some rest, he returned at the Tammer Tournament. The 21-year-old Gallagher was not expecting such a difficult start against Cape Verde’s Wilson Semedo but finally it became one of the toughest fights of the day. The African boxer fought over his previous limits and almost delivered a sensation in Tampere but Gallagher’s routine supported him to win this contest.

The surprise of the day

Morocco’s Mohammed Rabii was gold medallist at the Doha 2015 AIBA World Boxing Championships and he earned a bronze at the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The former WSB star Moroccan decided to return to the international events and his participation is one of the main news at the 42nd Tammer Tournament. Rabii had to meet England’s EUBC European Boxing Championships silver medallist Lewis Richardson who is another star of the middleweight (75kg). The English boxer overcame the North African star in the exchanges and eliminated the returning boxer in Tampere.

The Round-Up

Brazil’s defending AMBC American Elite Champion at the men’s featherweight (57kg), Luiz Gabriel Oliveira Chalot was the first boxer in action at the 42nd Tammer Tournament in Tampere. The 21-year-old Brazilian spent a short time in the ring against Portugal’s Farid Walizadeh when he knocked out his rival. The featherweight is one of the strongest categories in the whole competition and Oliveira opened his campaign with a quick success, delivering a classic KO.

Finland’s first boxer in action was Niazz Ahmadi at the light welterweight (6.5kg) who has medals from the recent editions of the Tammer Tournament and Gee Bee. The 27-year-old Finnish boxer controlled his first fight against Hong Kong’s new national team member, Taqdeer Singh. Finland’s Nikita Nystedt is only a 20-year-old talent but he has experiences from all age groups and he knew how to box against Sweden’s aggressive Liridon Nuha. Nystedt kept his smaller Swedish opponent on long and he managed to win this tough contest against the experienced fighter at the light heavyweight (80kg).

Finland’s best female boxers, Tampere’s prides, Pihla Kaivo-Oja and Vilma Viitanen both opened their campaigns in the Tammer Tournament on Day1. Kaivo-Oja, the U22 medallist, used her tactical skills to beat Norway’s Francine Lukungu Ahadi who moved up to the light flyweight (50kg). Viitanen is famous of her beautiful technical skills following she analysed the movements of the top boxers. The 21-year-old boxer competes at the bantamweight (54kg) now and she launched the better shots against Morocco’s Widad Bertal.