Sebastian Terteryan and Morten Givskov made strong Danish day at the Algirdas Socikas Tournament
14 May 2021The next elite international competition, the Algirdas Socikas Tournament began in Kaunas, Lithuania where 23 bouts were in the official schedule of the first session. Denmark’s Morten Givskov and Sebastian Terteryan made strong day for them while Netherlands’ Enrico La Cruz also won his debuting bout.
Lithuania hosted the Danas Pozniakas Youth Tournament in Vilnius on March, their next international activity is the Algirdas Socikas Tournament in Kaunas. Many of the European nations are using the Algirdas Socikas Tournament as preparations for the European Olympic Boxing Qualifying Event and for the EUBC European U22 Boxing Championships. Besides to the European countries, Egypt also sent their best boxers to Kaunas.
Six-time Soviet National Champion Mr. Algirdas Socikas was one of the heroes of Lithuania’s boxing life in the past who won the European Boxing Championships two-times in 1953 in Warsaw and repeated it in 1955 in West Berlin. Lithuania’s most important elite international boxing tournament was named after their national boxing icon.
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 Lithuania to avoid any new Covid-19 cases during the Algirdas Socikas Tournament.
The bout of the day
Netherlands’ European Games bronze medallist Enrico La Cruz has a top target next month, he is planning to get the ticket to his second Olympic Games. The 28-year-old Dutch boxer uses the Algirdas Socikas Tournament as last preparation event before the start of the Qualifier. La Cruz moved ahead more than in his previous contests against Scotland’s promising Robbie McKechnie who is a prospect for them at the 2022 Commonwealth Games. La Cruz received also punches from the Scottish side but his efforts were enough to beat McKechnie in the first round of the lightweight (63kg).
The surprise of the day
England’s Mohammed Akbar Harris was bronze medallist in the 2016 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships and he has fantastic technical repertoires. The 22-year-old English welterweight (69kg) boxer was not able to repeat his previous performance in Kaunas and he had difficulties against Denmark’s young Sebastian Terteryan. The Danish boxer felt the tempo better and his physical condition decided their contest in Kaunas.
The Round-Up
England’s Kiaran McDonald was member of the British Lionhearts WSB team in 2017 as a young talent and remained in the national team in the most difficult years as well. He met with a neighbouring rival, Scotland’s Lennon Mulligan in the first session and he managed to win that contest. France’s EUBC European Youth Boxing Championships silver medallist Ibrahim Boukedim dominated his debuting bout against Lithuania’s Marius Kontrimas in the second bout of the flyweight (52kg).
France’s AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Hugo Grau moved up to the welterweight (69kg) and has done his debut in the new category at the Boxam Tournament this March. The 21-year-old French is still tall enough in the weight class and used his longer distance well against Germany’s Dominik Michels in the first session. Grau played with his inexperienced German rival and won the bout by large margin of differences.
Denmark’s Morten Givskov claimed medals in a few international tournaments in the recent one and half year and he could be a new sensation at the super heavyweight (+91kg). The Danish boxer has got fantastic athletic skills and he used his strength against Finland’s Danil Rantanen. Givskov controlled all of the three rounds and marched into the semi-finals in the Algirdas Socikas Tournament.
