Poland’s Artur Proksa started the second day brilliantly at the EUBC Junior European Boxing Championships

Thirty-five female and male contests were on the official schedule at the EUBC Junior European Boxing Championships in Tbilisi, Georgia. Poland’s strong Artur Proksa opened the day with brilliant performance, while Russia’s Ivan Chindykov and Belarus’ Maksim Zhurauleu also won important contests on Day2.

The number of the participating boxers is 335 including 111 girls in the EUBC Junior European Boxing Championships. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, host Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Israel, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Montenegro, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Turkey and Ukraine are the participating nations of the event.

Girls and boys who were born in 2005 and in 2006 are eligible to attend in the EUBC Junior European Boxing Championships in Tbilisi. Georgia’s capital hosted the 2019 edition of the EUBC European Schoolboys & Schoolgirls Boxing Championships and a top event returns to Tbilisi after two years of break.

The safety of all participants, the continuous medical checks, the social distancing, the hygienic preparations, wearing masks and all of the health controls are the responsibility of the local organizers in Georgia to avoid any new Covid-19 cases during the EUBC Junior European Boxing Championships Tbilisi 2021.

The bout of day

Armenia’s Arman Miskaryan was bronze medallist in the 2019 EUBC European Schoolboys Boxing Championships in Tbilisi and he had to start the junior continental event against Russia’s Junior National Champion Ivan Chindykov. The featherweight (57kg) is one of the most difficult weight categories in Tbilisi and the two experienced boxers made an excellent first round. The Russian was slightly better in the exchanges but his Armenian opponent returned with clear punches and different rhythm in the second. Chindykov had more power in the third and his efforts were enough to eliminate the 16-year-old Armenian.

The surprise of the day

Estonia’s Joosep Palm claimed bronze medal in the 2020 EUBC Junior European Boxing Championships which is his career highlight until today. The Estonian boxer moved up one category to the light welterweight (63kg) but he did not find the fighting distance against Belarus’ Maksim Zhurauleu in the first round. The Belarusian knew the best strategy against the Baltic boxer and he looked confident also in the second round. Zhurauleu performed strongly in the third when the Spanish referee counted Palm twice therefore the Belarusian advanced to the last 16 in Tbilisi.

The Round-Up

Poland’s Artur Proksa was born in a boxing family, his father was a national team boxer in the 2000s. The 16-year-old Polish lightweight (60kg) talent moved back before launching his counter-punches against Greece’s Stefanos Oikonomou. Proksa knew more about boxing and her counter-attacking style paid off today in the competition. Following his teammate, Dominik Jedrej, he also advanced to the next preliminary round in Tbilisi.

The first Georgian boxer in action at the whole EUBC Junior European Boxing Championships was Levan Demurovi at the flyweight (50kg) who opened his campaign with great motivation. The local hero moved ahead without any stoppage and he had a tough shot in the second when the referee counted his opponent, Slovakia’s Lukas Vymyslicky. Demurovi had more experiences than his Slovakian rival and his tough punches decided their preliminary bout.

Armenia’s Artur Mkrtchyan arrived to Tbilisi as one of the medal contenders at the lightweight (60kg) and started his campaign against Moldova’s Junior National Champion Igor Bondar.  The Armenian southpaw used his height advantage and strength to control the first round against the Moldovan who is newcomer in the international stage. Mkrtchyan increased his tempo in the second and his dominancy was clear between them therefore the referee stopped the contest in the middle of the bout.

Slovakia’s Pavol Fleischhacker competed in the last edition of the EUBC Junior European Boxing Championships in Sofia last November therefore the atmosphere of the event was familiar for him. The Slovakian lightweight (60kg) talent had some good punches but Lithuania’s Paulius Bublis surprised him with his quick combinations. The Lithuanian regain the control of the bout very quickly and he had the better and stronger shots especially in the second round. Bublis demoralized his Slovakian opponent and won their preliminary bout by RSC in the third round.

Poland’s Ivan Kucherenko is an experienced boxer in the international stage who is the tallest boxer at the men’s light welterweight (63kg). He used his height advantage well from the first seconds against Croatia’s Ante Milkovic and his longer hands decided their preliminary contest in Tbilisi. Russia’s EUBC Junior European Boxing Championships silver medallist Ivan Tikhonov is their most successful male boxer in this age group but he had to do his very best against Lithuania’s Edgaras Trotenskis. Tikhonov increased his rhythm and decided their contest before the final gong and followed Kucherenko to the last 16.

Georgia’s Saba Eremeishvili won the 48kg weight class at the 2019 EUBC European Schoolboys Boxing Championships and moved up to the featherweight (57kg) before the start of the new continental event. The 16-year-old Georgian controlled the first round against Germany’s Arman Gohar Shenasan Esfahani and he took the lead on the scorecards after two minutes. Eremeishvili produced his best round in the second when the referee counted the German therefore the Georgian can continue in the next stage of boxing.

Latvia’s Ilja Jurcenoks had 36 contests in the recent years and he is one of their highest hopes in Tbilisi. The Latvian light heavyweight (80kg) boxer surprised Georgia’s Davit Khutsishvili in the first round and took the lead on the scorecards. The local boxer stepped into the gas in the second and he tried to box over his previous level in their contest and gave in everything. The Latvian boxer stopped most of his attacks in the second and third rounds therefore Jurcenoks can continue in the quarter-finals.

Belarus’ Alina Kardziushova joined to the national team this year following her triumphs in several events in her homeland. The Belarusian featherweight (57kg) boxer is a tall talent and used her advantage well in the first round against Turkey’s Zubeyde Nur Yamac. Kardziushova not only worked from long distance but she surprised the Turkish girl with a quick attack still in the opening round. The Belarusian used up also her experiences to control the contest against the debutant Turkish talent and joined to the last eight.

Hungary’s Fanni Deak claimed bronze medal in the 2019 EUBC European Schoolgirls Boxing Championships and returned to Tbilisi to get an even better result as a junior. The 16-year-old Hungarian, who trains in the city of Szeged, started aggressively against Belarus’ Aliaksandra Siarheieva and quickly dominated their lightweight (60kg) contest with her jabs. Deak was brave, moved ahead without any stoppage and caught her Belarusian rival several times. Siarheieva was too static for the aggressive Hungarian therefore Deak advanced to the quarter-finals in Tbilisi.

The quote of the day

“I am well prepared for this EUBC Junior European Boxing Championships. We have worked hard with the coaches and I am happy how I boxed today. I entered into the contest well and I felt that I can win it. I was saving my strength in the last round because this is a long tournament and I have got strong plans but first only the next rival counts for me,” said Poland’s Artur Proksa who eliminated his Greek rival brilliantly.