Twenty-three final contests took place in the Eindhoven Box Cup in the Netherlands which was the next international competition after the EUBC European Men’s Elite Boxing Championships. France’s 21-year-old Ibrahim Boukedim won the most exciting contest in the day of the finals when Belgium’s newcomer Michiel Partoens stopped his Irish opponent at the heavyweight (92kg).
The last edition of the Eindhoven Box Cup was held in October 2019 and due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the event returned to the agenda after two and half years of break. Altogether 32 women and 74 elite men boxers participated in the new edition of the Eindhoven Box Cup. The Eindhoven Box Cup had several stars on the board and many of the younger hopes won titles in the new edition.
The Competition Manager of the recent EUBC European Men’s Elite Boxing Championships, Mr. Dragoljub Radovic of Montenegro was the Technical Delegate of the Eindhoven Box Cup. The engine of the tournament Mr. Jeremie Besson arranged the competition in the highest possible level in Eindhoven.
The bout of the day
France’s EUBC Youth European Boxing Championships silver medallist Ibrahim Boukedim is only 21 but he is a fantastic U22 and elite boxer now. The French bantamweight (54kg) boxer advanced to the final of the Eindhoven Box Cup and faced Cape Verde’s experienced David Pina for the title. Their final was one of the most anticipated ones in the third competition day and both boxers gave in everything to this bout. Boukedim is No.2 in France behind reigning EUBC European Champion Billal Bennama but he proved his amazing potential and defeated the strong African boxer in the day of the finals.
The surprise of the day
Belgium reached several historic results in the recent one year and their coaches found new talents who competed at the Eindhoven Box Cup with success. Their Michiel Partoens is a new addition to the national team but he had some experience from the recent international competitions this year. The Belgian heavyweight (92kg) boxer had less than 30 contests during his career but his strength was decisive against Ireland’s Stephen Collins in the quickest final of the competition. The referee stopped the bout in the first round and confirmed Partoens’ RSC victory which was the next Belgian success in Eindhoven.
The Round-Up
Ireland’s Commonwealth Games silver medallist Carly McNaul was one of the most experienced female boxers in the whole Eindhoven Box Cup and she managed to win the flyweight (52kg) against Portugal’s Rita Soares. The Portuguese boxer returned to the national team this year and she claimed her second silver medal after the Boxam Tournament. Mali’s France-based Marine Camara impressed in the day of the finals and she had a close success over England’s young and promising 21-year-old Elyse Glynn at the featherweight (57kg).
Ireland’s Zara Breslin is an U22 boxer in their national team but she had excellent results and arrived to the Eindhoven Box Cup as one of the favourites. The Irish lightweight (60kg) girl defeated Portugal’s Boxam Tournament winner Carolina Ferreira in the final of the category proving her development. Her teammate Eirann Nuggent has been preparing to the upcoming Commonwealth Games and she defeated Netherlands’ Kris-Anne Mulder in the final of the light middleweight (70kg).
Netherlands’ top woman boxer Chelsey Heijnen achieved a bronze medal at the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in Istanbul making a historic result for her nation and reached a career highlight. She had to miss the Eindhoven Box Cup but the Netherlands won a female gold medal in Eindhoven following Mira Massing’s excellent performance in the final of the welterweight (66kg) against Germany’s Claudia Okafor.
England’s newcomer Ellis Trowbridge who defeated Sri Lanka’s Seneviratne Bandara at the flyweight (51kg) in Eindhoven achieved the first male gold medal of the Eindhoven Box Cup. Mauritius’ All Africa Games winner Richarno Colin was faster than Germany’s Assan Hansen in the final of the light welterweight (63.5kg) and claimed his next international success. His teammate, the two-time Olympian Merven Clair outpointed Canada’s Hunter Lee and his technical skills were enough to get Mauritius’ second gold medal in Eindhoven.
Ireland’s 21-year-old Jude Gallagher who defeated Netherlands’ Kervens Boom in the final of the featherweight (57kg) delivered the next top performance in the men’s part of the competition. The next Irish boxer, Paul Loonam had a brilliant start in the international competitions this year but his success over France’s Enzo Grau was a small surprise in the final of the lightweight (60kg).
A Belgian final took place in the Group B at the welterweight (67kg) between Yassine Arfa and Riad Zekri. Arfa was more experienced in this contest and his combinations decided their final in Eindhoven. Belgium’s AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Victor Schelstraete was unlucky at the EUBC European Men’s Elite Boxing Championships in Yerevan but he decided to participate in Eindhoven. The strong Belgian cruiserweight (86kg) boxer was strong for Netherlands’ Rick De Nooijer in the final and earned his next big achievement.
