Resztan, Artingstall and O’Rourke shocked their favourite rivals in the semi-finals of the EUBC European Women’s Boxing Championships

Amazing 20 semi-finals contests were held on the sixth competition day in the EUBC European Women’s Boxing Championships in Madrid which delivered a lot of surprises. England’s duo Demi-Jade Resztan and Karris Artingstall defeated higher ranked boxers while Ireland’s Aoife O’Rourke has done the main surprise of the day.

The event is taking place in Madrid’s suburb region in Alcobendas City which is the first continental championship in Spain since 1971. The EUBC European Women’s Boxing Championships is also a preparation event for the Ulan-Ude 2019 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships.

Altogether 136 elite female boxers from 31 nations are taking part in the EUBC European Women’s Boxing Championships: Armenia, Belarus, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Georgia, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Moldova, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, Ukraine and Wales.

The bout of the day

Finland’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games bronze medallist, European Games winner and EUBC European Women’s Champion Mira Potkonen eliminated England’s Paige Murney in a hectic battle. Following that narrow success, the Finnish lightweight (60kg) boxer made better performance against Belarus’ Alla Yarshevich. Potkonen delivered her very best in Madrid with perfect timing against such strong rival as Ireland’s two-time EUBC European U22 Champion Amy Broadhurst. The Irish eliminated Russia’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games bronze medallist Anastasia Beliakova but Potkonen’s jabs destroyed her defence in the second round. Finland’s star opened the third with seriously high number of attacks and won their amazing semi-final unanimously. Following the superb promotion of women’s boxing, Mira Potkonen will be going for the gold medal of the category against France’s tough returning boxer Maiva Hamadouche.

Surprises of the day

Ukraine’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships silver medallist Hanna Okhota eliminated the best Spanish boxer Laura Fuertes in the quarter-finals of the light flyweight (48kg). The Ukrainian Seed No.1 had difficulties in the first round of the semi-final against England’s Demi-Jade Resztan who exceeded the expectations with her well-prepared conditions in this championship. The 23-year-old English boxer ruled the middle of the ring, tried to control their semi-final and her unexpected strong jabs delivered for her a surprise success. Following her big scalp, Resztan will be meeting for the gold medal with Russia’s Iulia Chumgalakova who dominated her semi-final over Italy’s Roberta Bonatti.

Bulgaria’s AIBA Women’s World Champion, European Games winner and two-time EUBC European Women’s Champion Stanimira Petrova was the main favourite of the featherweight (57kg) in Madrid but she suffered an unexpected loss in the semi-finals. Petrova had to face with England’s powerful soldier Karriss Artingstall who had a brave attempt from the first seconds to surprise the Bulgarian star. The 25-year-old English boxer caught the rhythm very quickly and her tough punches delivered for her a place in the final. England’s new sensation will be meeting in the final with Italy’s Rio 2016 Olympian Irma Testa who eliminated Poland’s Sandra Kruk in a hectic bout.

Ireland’s Lisa O’Rourke has got not enough experiences in the international competitions yet but the native talent amazed the crowd in the semi-finals of the middleweight (75kg) causing the top sensation of the day. The Irish boxer lost to Russia’s Youth Olympic Games winner and two-time AIBA Women’s Youth World Champion Anastasia Shamonova in the EUBC European U22 Boxing Championships this year. O’Rourke used a more aggressive tactic against the 19-year-old Russian this time and bowed out the main gold medal contender in spite of her lack of experiences. The 22-year-old Irish can box for the title against Poland’s Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games winner strong Elzbieta Wojcik.

The Round-up

France’s Caroline Cruveillier achieved gold medal in the EUBC European U22 Boxing Championships in Vladikavkaz this March and arrived to Madrid as a secret favourite at the bantamweight (54kg). The 21-year-old French boxer met in the semi-final with Romania’s Lacramioara Perijoc and tried to use her longer reach from the first seconds. The smaller Romanian used her energetic style but Cruveillier felt the tempo well in the opening round. Perijoc did not give up the fight and her amazing attacks delivered for her a place in the finals where her last opponent will be Russia’s Karina Tazabekova.

Turkey’s Busenaz Surmeneli and Russia’s Darima Sandakova both won two contests at the welterweight (69kg) during their road to the semi-finals of the EUBC European Women’s Boxing Championships. Surmeneli moved down to the welterweight (69kg) and the two-time EUBC European U22 Champion Turkish boxer did not save power in the semi-finals against Russia’s Darima Sandakova. The 23-year-old Russian moved back a few steps before launching her counter-attacks and followed the strategy in the first round well. Surmeneli landed tough punches in the second but the end of their narrow fight was also for the Russian who will be meeting for the gold against Italy’s Angela Carini.

Russia’s Anna Ivanova is the new National Champion at the light heavyweight (81kg) who received the right at the very first time to attend in such a big event as the EUBC European Women’s Boxing Championships. The young Russian received strong punches from Belarus’ first ever medallist in an AIBA Championship Viktoriya Kebikava in the opening round. Ivanova increased her tempo in the second round but the Belarusian adopted that level as well in time. Kebikava landed more punches in the third and she was able to eliminate Ivanova which means she is the first ever Belarusian female boxer who reached the final in the history of the event.

Turkey’s European Games winner Busenaz Cakiroglu impressed during her road to the semi-finals of the flyweight (51kg) and she started her important contest today with superb rhythm. Her opponent Ukraine’s Rio 2016 Olympian Tetyana Kob tried to use her pressurizing style but Cakiroglu was a hard target. The difference between the boxers was the speed of their footwork which means Cakiroglu will be facing for the gold with Russia’s Elena Saveleva who eliminated France’s Wassila Lkhadiri.

Poland’s Aneta Rygielska was AIBA Women’s Youth World Champion in 2013 and since then she attended in almost all of the big elite events as well but she has done the real breakthrough at the current EUBC European Women’s Boxing Championships. The 24-year-old Polish boxer used a strong tactic against Ukraine’s former AIBA Women’s World Champion Maria Bova and eliminated the Seed No.1 in the semi-final of the light welterweight (64kg). Rygielska’s final rival will be Italy’s Francesca Amato who bowed out Russia’s FISU University World Champion Ornella Kheteeva.

Statistics after the semi-finals

The following 11 nations have got at least one finalist in the EUBC European Women’s Boxing Championships:

• Russia: 5 finalists
• Italy: 3 finalists
• England, Poland, Turkey: 2 finalists
• Belarus, Finland, France, Ireland, Romania, Ukraine: 1 finalist