The Nowy Targ Arena was ablaze with excitement as the Boxing Tournament of the III European Games continued on June 25, with a Polish athlete featuring in the very first match of the day, and the Men’s +92kg category started competing. Over 300 athletes from various countries are competing in 13 weight categories from June 23 to July 2, vying for the prestigious European titles and the 44 Paris 2024 Olympic Quota Places.
During Day 3 of the tournament, two more sessions take place, featuring a total of 38 preliminary bouts in the Women’s 50kg and Men’s 63.5kg, 71kg, and +92kg events.
The first session of the day (#5 of the tournament) commenced with a thrilling match featuring the local hero, Natalia Rok from Poland. In the Women’s 50kg category, Rok faced off against Bulgaria’s Zlatislava Gena Chukanova Georgieva. With the home crowd rallying behind her, the young Polish boxer put on a consistent performance, securing a split decision victory (4:1 points) and advancing to the next stage of the tournament.
In the same weight category, Denmark’s Sofie Vinther Rosshaug claimed a resounding victory with a unanimous decision against Nela Freiherrova from the Czech Republic. On ring B, Ukraine’s Tetiana Kob and Finland’s Pihla Matilda Kaivo-Oja engaged in a closely contested match. Kaivo-Oja took the first round, while Kob rebounded in the second. Ultimately, it was Kob’s performance in the third round that sealed the deal, as she secured a 4:1 victory and progressed in the tournament.
In the Men’s 63.5kg Round of 16 bout, Rio 2016 Silver medalist Sofiane Oumiha of France faced Germany’s Assan Hansen. Oumiha emerged victorious with a 4:1 split decision, showcasing his skills and determination. Another closely fought match in the same weight category saw Gianluigi Malanga from Italy triumph over Petr Novak of the Czech Republic with a split decision victory (4:1 points). Turkey’s Bilge Kagan Kanli also secured a split decision win (3:2) against Shpetim Bajoku from Kosovo. In a tightly contested bout, Dean Clancy from Ireland emerged victorious with a 3:2 split decision.
Moving on to the Men’s 71kg Round of 32, 2021 World Championship bronze medalist Sarkhan Aliyev of Azerbaijan demonstrated his dominance against Michal Takacs from Slovakia, claiming a unanimous decision victory despite a standing count in the third round. Meanwhile, on ring B, Vakhid Abbasov from Serbia showcased his exceptional boxing skills and footwork against Miroslav Kapuler-Ishchenko from Israel, securing a clear 5:0 decision.
In the same weight category, Eskerkhan Madiev from Georgia emerged triumphant as the referee stopped the contest just 8 seconds into Round 2, awarding Madiev the victory over Martins Blumentals from Latvia. Croatia’s Petar Kresimir Knezevic secured a unanimous decision win against Cosmin Daniel Hermeziu from Romania, while France’s Makan-Vie Traore also won by unanimous decision, defeating Patriot Behrami from Kosovo. With impressive performances, Pavel Kamanin from Estonia and Gurgen Madoyan from Armenia both secured neat 5:0 unanimous decisions against Gianni Dedic from Bosnia and Herzegovina and Stefan Savkovic from Montenegro, respectively. Additionally, southpaw Rami Mofid Kiwan from Bulgaria showcased his rapid footwork, outscoring Tony Jas from the Netherlands with a unanimous decision victory (5:0).
In the first Men’s +92kg bout of the tournament, Ayoub Ghadfa Drissi El Ai from Spain faced Alexei Zavatin from Moldova. Ghadfa Drissi El Ai exhibited exceptional skills, nullifying his opponent’s longer reach and controlling the match throughout all three rounds, ultimately winning by a unanimous decision.
Continuing in the heaviest weight category, two-time World Championship bronze medalist Mahammad Abdullayev from Azerbaijan dominated his bout against Ugur Aydemir from Turkey, leading in the first two rounds and forcing the referee to stop the contest in Round 3.
Nelvie Raman Tiafack from Germany, displaying speed, confidence, and pure power, collected several 10/8 decisions on his way to the round of 16, showcasing his dominance in the ring as he defeated Stan Gijsbertus Bertens from the Netherlands by unanimous decision. Meanwhile, on ring A, Jure Simunovic from Slovenia secured victory with a 4:1 split decision over Laszlo Lajos Felfoldi from Hungary.
The action-packed European Games Boxing Tournament will continue with the second session of the day, scheduled to start at 18:00 CET later today.
Make sure to stay updated with the latest competition information, results, schedules, and additional content by visiting the official website of the III European Games at https://results.european-games.org/EG2023/ENG/schedule/BOX/all-days/all-event. Additionally, you can catch the live action on European Games TV at https://europeangames.tv/sports/boxing.
Stay tuned for more exhilarating matches as the III European Games Boxing Tournament unfolds at the Nowy Targ Arena.
