Ukraine’s Maksym Molodan caused the top sensation of the quarter-finals at the Istanbul Bosphorus International Boxing Tournament
19 March 2021Twenty female and thirty-two male quarter-finals were held in the Istanbul Bosphorus International Boxing Tournament during the third competition day in Turkey. All of the winners are guaranteed medallist in the event where most of the contests delivered close battles. The biggest sensation of the third competition day was delivered by Ukraine’s Maksym Molodan at the men’s welterweight (69kg).
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 are the responsibility of the local organizers in Istanbul to avoid any new Covid-19 cases during the Istanbul Bosphorus Boxing Tournament. The event is holding with strict Covid-19 protocols as all of the previous European international tournaments.
The bout of the day
Russia’s Anastasia Beliakova robbed into the world of boxing in 2010 when she won their National Championships at the age of 17 and reached the quarter-finals in the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships. Since then the Russian was AIBA Women’s World Champion, EUBC European Women’s Champion but in the recent years she had difficulties. Beliakova enjoyed her return to the international stage and she had such a tough battle in the quarter-finals of the lightweight (60kg) against Turkey’s Esra Yildiz. The local pride was brave in the contest, moved forward while Beliakova tried to keep the distance and used different tactic. The Russian felt the tempo better in the final round of their quarter-final and eliminated Turkey’s best boxer in this weight category.
The surprises of the day
Poland’s Sandra Kruk claimed silver medal at the 2012 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships but since then she was not able to repeat that performance. The Polish boxer had plenty of international contests in the recent ten years but her quarter-final opponent was India’s Sonia Lather Singh who earned silver in the 2016 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships and she is in top shape. The Polish boxer was smaller but never stopped attacking during their featherweight (57kg) quarter-final which paid off and eliminated the Indian in Istanbul.
Ukraine’s AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Maksym Molodan is 20-year-old and uses this strong elite tournament to increase his international experiences. The Ukrainian welterweight (69kg) boxer exceeded the expectations and his smart tactic was enough to beat Azerbaijan’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games former-Cuban veteran Lorenzo Sotomayor. Molodan won the contest by split decision and Sotomayor is the biggest scalp in his bout list.
The Round-Up
Turkey’s defending European Games winner and EUBC European Women’s Champion Busenaz Cakiroglu eliminated a top rival, Kazakhstan’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships silver medallist Zhaina Shekerbekova in the last 16. The Turkish boxer met in the quarter-finals with another dangerous opponent, Poland’s European Games silver medallist Sandra Drabik but she used her distance better and delivered world class performance in Istanbul. Cakiroglu will be meeting in the semi-finals with India’s Nikhat Zareen who eliminated Kazakhstan’s AIBA Women’s World Champion Nazym Kyzaibay.
Turkey’s Sennur Demir claimed medals in the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships and after those results the veteran boxer decided to move down to the middleweight (75kg). She is aiming for an Olympic quota therefore the Turkish boxer is still in top form in the Istanbul Bosphorus International Boxing Tournament. She dominated the first round against Morocco’s Rabab El-Khalfi and finished the contest in the second. Russia’s Youth Olympic Games winner Anastasia Shamonova and Kazakhstan’s AIBA Women’s World Champion Valentina Khalzova also advanced to the semi-finals.
Azerbaijan’s Kamran Shakhsuvarly bagged medals in the Olympic Games, AIBA World Boxing Championships and EUBC European Boxing Championships but in the previous years he had many unexpected losses. The Azeri middleweight (75kg) boxer worked better this time and eliminated Ukraine’s young talent, Bogdan Tolmachov in the quarter-finals of the tournament. Shakhsuvarly will be meeting with Kyrgyzstan’s Omurbek Bekzhigit Uulu who bowed out Turkey’s Birol Aygun.
