Nicoli proved her native talent in the second day of the Feliks Stamm Memorial Tournament
01 May 2019Twenty contests were held in the second competition day of the 36thedition of the traditional Feliks Stamm Memorial Tournament in Warsaw, Poland. Italy’s Rebecca Nicoli won her key contest at the women’s lightweight (60kg) on Day2 when Germany’s Nelvie Raman Hess Tiafack and Netherlands’ Jemyma Betrian amazed the crowd.
The first edition of the Feliks Stamm Memorial Tournament was held in 1977 and many of Europe’s stars won the titles in the recent decades. Besides to the European nations Australia, New Zealand, Algeria, Morocco, India and Brazil are also attending in the 36thFeliks Stamm Memorial Tournament which means all of the five Confederations sent boxers to Poland’s capital.
Bout of the day
Italy’s Rebecca Nicoli is a native talent in our sport who won the gold medal at the light welterweight (64kg) in the 2018 EUBC European U22 Boxing Championships. The 20-year-old Italian moved down to the lightweight (60kg) and quickly achieved silver medal in the last edition of the EUBC European U22 Boxing Championships in Vladikavkaz.
Nicoli had to meet in the first round of the women’s lightweight (60kg) with New Zealand’s Troy Garton who started her boxing career also a few years ago but claimed bronze in the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games. Nicoli is a small boxer but her aggressive style surprised Garton in the first round. The Kiwi boxer adopted the level of the bout and she was more successful in their exchanges after the first minutes. Nicoli was never stopped attacking in their remarkable fight and advanced to the next round in Warsaw.
Surprise of the day
Germany’s Nelvie Raman Hess Tiafack achieved bronze medal at the St. Petersburg 2016 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships but he is newcomer among the elite boxers. The 19-year-old German had less than 40 bouts before the start of the Feliks Stamm Memorial Tournament but he proved his developments in Warsaw. It is emerged that his strength is now in European level and defeated a top Asian super heavyweight (+91kg) hope, India’s National Champion Nitesh who started his career already in 2011. Nelvie Tiafack won their bout unanimously and remained their chance alive to win a big event before the European Games.
The Round-Up
Netherlands’ Jemyma Betrian is one of the new sensations of the featherweight (57kg) who achieved a surprise bronze medal at the 2018 New Delhi AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships. The Dutch boxer had a strong opponent France’s EUBC European U22 Champion Caroline Cruveillier but Betrian was in different level on Day2. Another key boxer in this category Italy’s Rio 2016 Olympian Irma Testa had a closer fight this time but bowed out Brazil’s young hope Rebeca Santos Lima.
The women’s middleweight (75kg) is a super strong category in the Feliks Stamm Memorial Tournament where Sweden’s Love Holgersson tried to keep her long distance against France’s Youth Olympian Davina Michel. The final verdict was split decision in the favour of Holgersson while Netherlands’ EUBC European Women’s Champion and Rio 2016 Olympic Games silver medallist Nouchka Fontijn walked over to the next round as England’s Georgia O’Connor was unable to box against her.
Ucha Maisuradze did not give enough chance in the international stage in the recent years and he concluded that he needs a change to compete in a big event. The former Georgian boxer moved to Poland and at the Feliks Stamm Memorial Tournament he represents his new nation. Maisuradze was enough strong to beat Denmark’s newcomer Danny Jensen in their lightweight (60kg) contest.
New Zealand started their preparation to the upcoming AIBA World Boxing Championships and the Feliks Stamm Memorial Tournament is an important step for their boxers. Two-time Commonwealth Games winner David Nyika is one of the best heavyweight (91kg) boxers in the whole world. The 24-year-old Kiwi boxer had not an ideal opponent as first but he was slightly better than Russia’s Iaroslav Doronichev.
