Eight countries achieved gold medals in the EUBC European U22 Championships

The EUBC European Confederation U22 Boxing Championships finished with the final session in Braila, Romania today. The local crowd saw remarkable bouts in the finals and among these promising boxers several could be there in the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Altogether 18 countries claimed at last one medal and finally eight nations achieved title in the championships.

France’s Billal Bennama was of the main gold medal favourite of the light flyweight (49kg) before the start of the EUBC European Confederation U22 Boxing Championships. The French boxer advanced to the final and opened the first round against England’s Harvey Horn with confident style. Both boxers were patient and waited for the best attacking moments in the first and second rounds. Their tactical game was a close one and finally Horn’s hand was raised after the last gong who reached his career highlight with this gold medal in the U22 level.

Spain’s Bocskai Memorial Tournament winner Gabriel Escobar eliminated Hungary’s Istvan Szaka in the quarter-final and England’s William Cawley to reach the final of the flyweight (52kg) which victories showed his development. The 21-year-old Spanish boxer had to meet with Bulgaria’s EUBC European Champion Daniel Asenov for the title of the category in Braila. The Bulgarian boxer used different tactic than in the semi-final and he was able to beat his rival in a narrow competition which was Asenov’s second title in the European level.

Romania’s bantamweight (56kg) favourite Robert Eusebiu Jitaru eliminated his rivals in the road to the finals but had to meet with England’s Peter McGrail for the title. His English opponent boxed brilliantly in the World Series of Boxing and eliminated four strong rivals in the previous rounds in Braila. The Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games bronze medallist English boxer was a hard target for the younger Romanian in the first round but Jitaru raised his rhythm and his counter-attacks were successful in the second part of the bout. The young Romanian boxer won their close final bout by split decision and won his first continental title.

Ukraine’s Yaroslav Khartsyz exceeded the expectations in Braila and he did enough to advance to the final of the lightweight (60kg) where his last opponent was Russia’s Shamil Askerov who triumphed over Moldova’s EUBC Europan Youth Champion Dorin Bucsa in a close semi-final. The Russian boxer’s tactic was more effective than his opponent’s one in the first round and continued his strong performance in the second as well. Askerov enjoyed the bout well enough in the third round and his effectiveness delivered for him a gold medal in the championships.

Georgia’s Lasha Guruli had the height advantage in the semi-final against Italy’s Paolo Di Lernia and he tried to also use his longer hands against England’s WSB boxer Luke McCormack in the final as well. The Georgian light welterweight (64kg) boxer launched right-handed jabs from longer distance how he did also in the semi-final. McCormack found the best fighting distance against his Georgian opponent in time and he amazed the crowd with his effective punches in the last round. McCormack reached his career highlight with the title and delivered the second gold for England in the championships.

Russia’s National Championships bronze medallist Vladislav Savostyanov is competing in his first ever continental event but he advanced to the final of the welterweight (69kg) in Braila. The Russian had to meet with Georgia’s younger talent EUBC European Youth Champion Eskerkhan Madiev for the gold. The Georgian boxer had smaller injuries from the previous rounds but he showed excellent fighting spirit and wanted the gold medal so much. Madiev, who was born only in 1998, was quicker than his Russian opponent and won the title in the U22 level in Braila.

Belarus’ Viktar Dziashkevich eliminated one of the favourite of the middleweight (75kg) Croatia’s Luka Plantic in the quarter-final he was also too strong for his Israeli opponent Daniel Zan Daskalo in the semi-final. The Belarusian boxer was not able to fight against gold medal contender AIBA Youth World Champion Oleksandr Khyzhniak for the title of the category therefore his Ukrainian rival walked over to the gold.

Russia’s defending Elite National Champion Muslim Gadzhimagomedov dominated all of his bouts in the EUBC European Confederation U22 Boxing Championships. The 20-year-old Russian had to meet in the final with Romania’s new hero Paul Andrei Aradoaie who is also EUBC European Youth Champion as Gadzhimagomedov. The Russian started the first round well enough with his jabs but Aradoaie also launched nice punches mainly in the second round of their light heavyweight (81kg) final. The Romanian boxer did enough to beat his Russian rival who did not lose any about in the recent two years.

Croatia’s AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships silver medallist Toni Filipi tried to be quicker than France’s Rio 2016 Olympian Paul Omba Biongolo in the final of the heavyweight (91kg). The Croatian and the French boxers waited for a big punch in the tactical first round in their final. Filipi worked with single jabs in the second round and avoided Omba Biongolo’s shots with his footwork. The French boxer had better footwork in the bout and his efforts were enough to beat his Croatian rival in Braila.

Austria’s Aleksandar Mraovic is a boxer who has been collecting the medals from the EUBC European Confederation Boxing Championships. Following his junior and youth medals he was able to get a guaranteed bronze in the U22 level but this time he advanced to the final of the super heavyweight (+91kg) where he met with Germany’s Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games winner Peter Kadiru. The Austrian knocked down his German opponent in the first round but Kadiru returned to the match from the second and he was able to win his second European title after the youth level.

In featured image: Medal Ceremony 91KG