Following the EUBC European Confederation U22 Boxing Championships another important continental event, the EUBC European Confederation Schoolboys Boxing Championships was held in Romania. This time the host was the city of Valcea where the Russian delegation impressed the crowd with their 13 gold medals including Akim Pavliukov who has got superb boxing roots in his family.
Boxers who were born in 2003 and 2004 were eligible to compete in the EUBC European Confederation Schoolboys Boxing Championships in Valcea. Twenty champions have been crowned in the event in Valcea from the 38.5 up to the 105 kg categories.
Record number of 257 boxers from 29 countries took part in the EUBC European Confederation Schoolboys Boxing Championships in the Romanian city. Russia and Ukraine competed with maximum number of 20 boxers in Valcea but host Romania, Hungary, Ireland, Armenia, England, Italy and Turkey also sent big delegations to the event.
The last edition of the EUBC European Confederation Schoolboys Boxing Championships was held in Zagreb, Croatia and among the winners in 2016, Russia’s Evgeny Zhorov and his teammate Islam Nikerkhoev were able to defend their thrones in the event and secured their second titles in Valcea.
Thirteen boxers from the Russian delegation achieved titles in the EUBC European Confederation Schoolboys Boxing Championships and topped the team rankings in Valcea repeating their fabulous performance after the recent editions. Russia kept the high standard in this age group but Ukraine, England, Bulgaria, Romania and Armenia each won at least one title in Valcea while altogether 17 countries achieved medals in the event.
The first gold medal of the whole EUBC European Confederation Schoolboys Boxing Championships was acquired by Russia’s 14-year-old Aleksey Starodubtsev who defeated Bulgaria’s top talent Radoslav Rosenov in the final of the 38.5 kg. The young Russian talent won their Schoolboys National Championships and continued his winning path in Valcea.
England has got always tough boxers in the schoolboy level and their new future hero could be Tommy Cole who dominated his final against Ukraine’s Aidar Abduraimov at the 40 kg. His teammate Barney Royston secured England’s second title in Valcea who defeated Russia’s Dmitrii Kurganov in the gold medal bout of the 43kg.
Ukraine’s first title in the EUBC European Confederation Schoolboys Boxing Championships was delivered by Viktor Boyko who defeated sensationally Russia’s Schoolboys National Champion Ivan Kobzev whose elder brothers are also boxers. Following his gold medal at the 44.5kg his compatriot Dmytro Beniukh was able to get Ukraine’s second title in Valcea after beating Romania’s Ionut Albert Potoceanu in the 105 kg.
One of the most spectacular fight was held between Russia’s Sergey Koldenkov and Ireland’s Patrick Sweeney in the final of the 46 kg. The Irish talent began the bout better but his Russian opponent found the best fighting distance in time and received good advises from his ringside to win the gold medal in their narrow bout.
Russia’s flag bearer Evgeny Zhorov controlled all of his contests at the 43 kg in the 2016 EUBC European Confederation Schoolboys Boxing Championships in Zagreb when he spent his first year as schoolboy. The Russian boxer returned to the event in Valcea as more experienced athlete and defended his throne following his great performance against Ireland’s Patrick Donovan in the final of his new weight class.
Armenia’s two-time Schoolboys National Champion Gor Mkhitaryan eliminated Ireland’s Cain Lewis in the semi-final of the 52 kg and following that top performance he was able to beat the main favourite Georgia’s Lasha Gagnidze who defeated Russia’s No.1 Tengiz Kotoyan in the previous round of the event.
Russia’s Schoolboys National Champion Akim Pavliukov is Nikolay’s son and his father is the main organizer of Europe’s strongest youth event the Pavliukov Youth Memorial Tournament in Anapa. Akim, who came from a tough boxing family, had to do his very best to win the 65 kg weight class where Hungary’s Ferdinand Sztojka was a competitive rival for him.
Russia’s Mikhail Usov needed to do also his very best to beat Croatia’s Antonio Grabic in the final of the 68 kg which was similar close bout as the previous title contest. In the second Russia vs. Croatia battle in the final day of the event Valentin Milanov did not give any chance to his Croatian opponent and the referee confirmed his RSC success in the second round of their gold medal bout.
Following Evgeny Zhorov’s performance his teammate Islam Nikerkhoev was the second Russian who could defend his title in the EUBC European Confederation Schoolboys Boxing Championships. Romania’s lone gold medal was delivered by Daniele Dumitru who enjoyed his successful final against Russia’s Valeriy Tadtayev in the 76 kg.