Ukraine and Turkey dominated Day2 in the Danas Pozniakas Youth Tournament
09 March 2017The strong and prestigious Danas Pozniakas Youth Tournament continued with the first part of the quarter-finals in the capital city of Lithuania in Vilnius. In the second competition day 20 bouts were held in Vilnius and the winners are now guaranteed medallists in the event.
The competition was named after Danas Pozniakas who is Lithuania’s national boxing hero who claimed gold medal at the 1968 Olympic Games and also crowned three-times in the history of the European Boxing Championships.
In the first bout of the second competition day Ukraine’s Maksim Galinichev, who proved strong performance in the recent junior events, was amazing against Spain’s Angel Seda at the flyweight (52kg). The Ukrainian was a hard target for the Spanish boxer and his footwork was world class mainly in the third round therefore he advanced to the next stage of the Danas Pozniakas Youth Tournament. Italy’s Alessandro Adami also did strong performance in this weight class when he outpointed Russia’s Artem Vlasenko.
France’s youth No.1 Enzo Grau was bronze medallist in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in St. Petersburg last November but since then he moved up to the bantamweight (56kg). The French boxer was excellent in the first round against Russia’s Gasan Magomedov and met with Israel’s David Kharmats in the quarter-final. The French boxer was not enough shape today against his rival therefore Israel’s new pride advanced to the semi-finals in Vilnius causing a big surprise.
Ukraine’s Taras Bondarchuk reached top results as a junior boxer in the recent two years and he joined to the youth age group this January. The Ukrainian boxer was too strong for Latvia’s Konstantins Lebedevs in the first preliminary round and he continued his winning path against Italy’s Daniele Oggiano as well. The Ukrainian talent worked well in the second and third rounds and his efforts delivered for him a place in the semi-finals.
Turkey’s Necat Ekinci was bronze medallist in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in St. Petersburg and arrived to Vilnius as one of the gold medal contender of the lightweight (60kg). The Turkish boxer eliminated one of his main rival France’s EUBC European Confederation Junior Boxing Championships bronze medallist 17-year-old Jeremie Dupetitmagneux in the first preliminary round and did not give any chance to Lithuania’s Laimonas Raibikis in the quarter-finals.
Israel’s Bshara Sabbar has got excellent boxing skills and his fighting spirit was the difference today against Italy’s southpaw Christian Gasparri who arrived from a boxing family as his elder brother Stefano is also a national team member. The Israeli lightweight (60kg) boxer advanced to the semi-finals of the Danas Pozniakas Youth Tournament in Vilnius where his next opponent will be Turkey’s star Necat Ekinci.
Ukraine’s Maksim Boryghpolets was quarter-finalist in the AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships in St. Petersburg in 2015 and had more international experiences than Austria’s Marcel Meinl in their lightweight (60kg) bout. The Ukrainian boxer felt the rhythm from the first seconds while his Austrian opponent also reached the target areas during their exchanges. The final verdict was unanimous decision to Boryghpolets who advanced to the last four in Vilnius where his next opponent will be Finland’s Asseme Nouali.
Israel’s EUBC European Confederation Youth Boxing Championships bronze medallist Ahmad Shtiwi is the titleholder in the Danas Pozniakas Youth Tournament. The 17-year-old top Israeli boxer moved up to the light welterweight (64kg) and won his second contest in Vilnius where he was too strong for Lithuania’s Rokas Avizonis.
Hungary’s EUBC European Schoolboys Champion Tibor Barbosu won the Istvan Enekes Youth Memorial Tournament last month and arrived to Vilnius as one of the favourite of the light welterweight (64kg). The 16-year-old Hungarian dominated his first fight against Latvia’s Marcis Grundulis and continued his strong performance against Czech Republic’s Petr Novak who had to go to the medical corner due his bleeding noise. The Hungarian will now meet in the semi-final with Israel’s Ahmad Shtiwi on Friday.
Latvia’s best youth boxer Heydar Aliyev Junior Cup winner Edgars Korzenevskis tried to use his longer hands against Turkey’s Fazli Oztari in the first quarter-final of the welterweight (69kg). The Latvian boxer kept the distance only in the first round against his strong Turkish rival who tried to pressurize Korzenevskis. The final verdict was unanimous decision to the Turkish boxer who is a guaranteed medallist in the event now.
Lithuania’s Airijus Vitlipas is one of the most experienced boxer in their youth team who eliminated Czech Republic’s Michal Chludil in the quarter-final of the welterweight (69kg) today. Lithuania’s second great success in the second competition day was delivered by Lukas Petrauskas who eliminated Israel’s Yan Zak at the middleweight (75kg). Lukas is Lithuania’s London 2012 Olympic Games bronze medallist Evaldas Petrauskas’ younger brother.
France’s Moreno Fendero is a native talent in our sport who has got excellent physical condition in spite of the fact he will be turning to 18 only later this year. The French boxer launched amazing punches in his opening middleweight (75kg) bout against Estonia’s lone athlete in the Danas Pozniakas Youth Tournament Eduard Piirisild and won it by unanimous decision in Vilnius. The French talent moved ahed from the first seconds against Lithuania’s Andrius Sapas as well and reduced the fighting distance against his taller rival. Fendero had effective punches and advanced to the semi-final as lone French boxer.
In featured image: Galinichev UKR
