APB World Championship bout gets underway in Turkey as Kilicci faces Chebotarev in Istanbul

Bagcilar Olympic Sport Complex in Istanbul is gearing up to stage another showcase of top-level boxing as the APB World Middleweight Championship bout, sees Turkey’s two-time Olympic veteran and current titleholder Adem Kilicci defend his crown against Russia’s former EUBC European Confederation Champion Artem Chebotarev. The Russian won both his Cycle I contests against strong rivals Dmytro Mytrofanov of Ukraine and Romania’s Bogdan Juratoni, proving himself more than worthy of a shot at the World Championship title in Turkey.

Lithuania’s hot new sensation Eimantas Stanionis was one of the youngest athletes in last year’s Cycle I, and the then relative unknown powered through to a remarkable EUBC European Confederation Boxing Championship gold in Samokov, Bulgaria. The 21 year-old welterweight will face Iran’s Amin Ghasemipour, who defeated Dimitrios Poulikos Tsagrakos of Greece in Cycle I.

Azeri bantamweight Javid Chalabiyev has struggled to repeat the form that won him an AIBA Worlds gold in Almaty in 2013, and he will hope for a return to winning ways against Ibrahim Gokçek.

The Ukrainian-born Liventsev Memorial Tournament winner Batuhan Gozgec has been boxing for Turkey since 2013, quickly establishing himself as one of the world’s best light welterweights. The 25-year-old stopped Ayrin Ismetov of Bulgaria last September in APB Cycle I, and will be ready for his next crucial battle against Ray Moylette. The Irishman has already tasted success on Turkish soil after winning gold at the EUBC European Confederation Boxing Championships back in 2011.