Turkey’s Berat Acar won the excellent super heavyweight final at the Istanbul Bosphorus International Boxing Tournament
21 March 2021Five women and eight men finals were held in the Istanbul Bosphorus International Boxing Tournament at the fifth competition day in Turkey. The host nation’s star Busenaz Cakiroglu dominated the final of the women’s flyweight (51kg) while the men’s super heavy weight (+91kg) title was taken by Berat Acar.
The Ahmet Comert Tournament had excellent traditions in our sport but the Turkish Boxing Federation decided to launch a new international competition. Impressive number of nations arrived to Turkey from four Confederations to use this wonderful possibility to compete in the international stage. The European, the Asian, the American and the African Confederations’ National Federations decided to send boxers to Istanbul.
The safety of all participants, the continuous medical checks, the social distancing, the hygienic preparations, wearing masks and all of the health controls were the responsibility of the local organizers in Istanbul to avoid any new Covid-19 cases during the Istanbul Bosphorus Boxing Tournament. The event was held with strict Covid-19 protocols as all of the previous European international tournaments.
The bout of the day
The super heavyweight (+91kg) was an excellent category at the Istanbul Bosphorus International Boxing Tournament in Turkey. There were crucial battles already in the preliminary stage and after the semi-finals, Turkey’s Berat Acar and Azerbaijan’s EUBC European Youth Champion Mahammad Abdullayev advanced to the finals. The Turkish boxer developed quickly in the recent months, he trained in different level as in the past and his efforts were paid off in Istanbul. Abdullayev was more than a competitive rival but Acar’s condition and stamina decided their narrow final.
The surprise of the day
Russia’s Elena Gapeshina in not their best boxer at the women’s middleweight (75kg) but she has been competing in the international events since 2016. She proved impressive developments at the Istanbul Bosphorus International Boxing Tournament. Gapeshina eliminated Turkey’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships silver medallist Sennur Demir in the semi-finals and she continued her unexpected winning path in Istanbul. Gapeshina met with Kazakhstan’s 2016 AIBA Women’s World Champion Valentina Khalzova for the gold medal and surprisingly she found the winning tactic against the Central Asian.
The Round-Up
Turkey’s AIBA Women’s World Champion Busenaz Surmeneli was not able to attend in the Istanbul Bosphorus International Boxing Tournament but her amazing compatriot, Busenaz Cakiroglu was one of the stars of the host country. Turkey’s defending European Games winner and EUBC European Women’s Champion Busenaz Cakiroglu bowed out Kazakhstan’s Zhaina Shekerbekova, Poland’s Sandra Drabik and India’s Nikhat Zareen in the previous rounds. Cakiroglu was too smart of experienced her young teammate, Hatice Akbas in the final of the women’s flyweight (51kg). The Moldovan referee stopped their unequal final in the third round and confirmed Cakiroglu’s RSC triumph.
Russia’s Daria Abramova was EUBC European Women’s Champion in 2016 and she was one of the most experienced participants at the women’s featherweight (57kg) in Istanbul. The Russian veteran is planning to regain her place in the top national team and worked hard in the recent months to achieve her goals. Abramova was able to handle Romania’s Claudia Nechita’s fighting style and her patient tactic in the final paid off and won the next gold medal for Russia.
Russia’s EUBC European Women’s Champion Darima Sandakova developed rapidly in the end of the 2010s and following her first international experiences at the middleweight (75kg), she moved down to the welterweight (69kg). Sandakova used her same strong confident style how she managed to win her last European gold medal in Spain one and half year ago. The Russian boxer controlled all of the rounds against Argentina’s Lucia Noelia Perez and won the title of the category.
Following Azat Usenaliev’s and Mirco Cuello’s gold medals, an exciting final was held at the men’s lightweight (63kg) in Istanbul. Turkey’s Hakan Dogan and Azerbaijan’s former AIBA World Champion Javid Chalabiyev are both experienced boxers with several years of experiences. Their final delivered an outstanding battle between the two athletes which was won by Hakan Dogan by split decision. The Turkish boxer tried to use his best fighting range in the bout therefore the gold medal remained in Istanbul.
