Netherlands’ Peter Mullenberg wins gold in the Grand Prix Usti nad Labem

The 49th edition of the Grand Prix Usti nad Labem delivered four Cuban triumphs in the finals and Netherlands’ star Peter Mullenberg great debut at the heavyweight (91kg). The Grand Prix is a prestigious international tournament in the European continent which was holding in the famous Czech boxing town between in the recent days.

The first edition of the Grand Prix was held in 1968 and such big boxing stars won the previous competitions such as Cuba’s three-time Olympic Champions Felix Savon and Teofilo Stevenson while Russia’s two-time Olympic Champion Oleg Saitov and the current head coach of the Turkmenistan boxing team former AIBA World Champion Mr. Aleksandr Lebziak also won titles in the history of the Grand Prix Usti nad Labem.

The competition has got a big tradition and several top boxers decided to travel to the Grand Prix Usti nad Labem this year as well to prepare for their next goal. Besides to the Cuban delegation, Serbia, host Czech Republic, Germany and the Netherlands won the gold medals in the 49th edition of the Grand Prix Usti nad Labem.

The first gold medal was achieved by Serbia’s Golden Gloves Tournament winner Dusan Janjic who had enough concentration until the end of the final bell when he met with Germany’s Richard Gomann. The final verdict was split decision to the Serbian talent who won the flyweight (52kg) in Usti nad Labem.

Czech Republic’s EUBC European Confederation Youth Boxing Championships bronze medallist Miroslav Gorol defeated his neighbouring rival Slovakia’s Viliam Tanko in the Bocskai Memorial Tournament earlier this year which was a great sensation. The Czech teenager had to meet in the final of the bantamweight (56kg) with his Slovakian rival who eliminated Cuba’s Osvaldo Diaz as well. Gorol used quick combinations in the final and his teenage enthusiasm was enough to won their re-match in Usti nad Labem.

Czech Republic’s most experienced elite boxer London 2012 Olympian Zdenek Chladek is still active in the international and national stages who defeated two strong boxers during his road to the final of the welterweight (69kg). Chladek, who is member of the national team since 2008, found his best fighting range against Austria’s Marcel Rumpler in the second round and his stamina delivered for him a title in Usti nad Labem.

Germany’s Andrey Merzlyakov has been attending in the international events since 2014 and the 22-year-old middleweight (75kg) boxer reached one of his career highlights with his gold medal in the Grand Prix Usti nad Labem. The German talent, who trains in the Bayern region, eliminated his old rival from the Bundesliga, Netherlands’ Hamburg 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships competitor Max Van der Pas in the semi-final and continued his winning path against Moldova’s Oleg Risiuc in Usti nad Labem.

Netherlands’ veteran star Peter Mullenberg claimed silver medals in the 2013 and in the 2015 editions of the EUBC European Confederation Boxing Championships. The Rio 2016 Olympian Dutch boxer moved up to the heavyweight (91kg) in the recent weeks and defeated Austria’s Stefan Nikolic and Serbia’s Marko Docic debuting in his new category at Usti nad Labem.

Cuba’s AIBA Junior World Champion and AIBA Youth World Champion Dainier Pero moved up to the super heavyweight (+91kg) in January when he joined to the elite age group. The 19-year-old promising Cuban talent was too strong for Czech Republic’s newcomer Adam Kolarik in the final of the Grand Prix and Pero’s hand was raised after the last bout of the entire tournament.