Germany’s prestigious international boxing tournament, the Chemistry Cup showcased a high quality of boxing in Halle, where many top boxing nations including Kazakhstan, Russia, Ireland, England, Germany, France, China, South Korea competed in the event.

The host nation claimed two gold medals on home soil, with both final victories achieved by new faces in the national team.

Athlete of the tournament
South Korea’s AIBA World Boxing Championships silver medallist Shin Jong Hun returned to the world of boxing following his unexpected loss at the 2013 Korotkov Memorial Tournament in Russia.

The Korean boxer had be at his best to beat Kazakhstan’s ASBC Asian Continental Champion Temirtas Zhussupov in the final of the Light Flyweight class (49 kg), which he narrowly won via split decision.

Now 25, the Korean boxer has been preparing with full speed for the upcoming Incheon 2014 Asian Games, where he will hope to prove himself as one of the best in the world again in front of his home crowd.

Team of the tournament
Ireland claimed two gold medals in the Chemistry Cup, with experienced David Oliver Joyce and AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Joseph Ward winning all of their contests in Halle.

Both defeated Kazakhstan’s top boxers in the final of their weight classes and proved their world class level of boxing.

Multiple international tournament winner David Oliver Joyce has moved back to the Lightweight class (60 kg), and has secured his place in the Irish squad again.

The 27-year-old boxer has been a member of the national team since 2006, and found the best fighting distance against AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Berik Abdrakhmanov.

EUBC European Continental Champion 20-year-old Joseph Ward defeated Russia’s Pavel Silyagin, Germany’s Igor Teziev and met with Kazakhstan’s London 2012 Olympics silver medallist Adilbek Niyazymbetov in the final of the Light Heavyweight class (81 kg), which was the highlight of the Chemistry Cup.

The young Irish boxer used his best weapons, his counter-attacks and his stiff jabs, and managed to negate Niyazymbetov’s attacks in the final.

Surprise of the tournament
France’s current EUBC European Youth Continental Champion Christian M’Billi Assomo defeated Kazakhstan’s AIBA World Champion Zhanibek Alimkhanuly in the final of the Gee Bee Tournament in Helsinki, Finland, and the 19-year-old boxer continued to impress in the Chemistry Cup.

the Middleweight class (75 kg) was one of the strongest in the competition, and it was the French star who impressed the most, defeating England’s AIBA World Championships bronze medallist Anthony Fowler, and advancing to the finals.

There he met with Russia’s EUBC European Continental Champion Maksim Koptyakov,and the French teenager continued his winning path by defeating his Russian rival for the gold medal.

Ones to watch in the future
Kazakhstan’s AIBA Asian Olympic Qualifiers winner, and London 2012 Olympian Ilyas Suleimenov defeated Russia’s EUBC European Youth Continental Champion new star Vasiliy Vetkin who is one of the best athletes of his generation.

The 24-year-old Kazakh Flyweight class (52 kg) boxer then won the gold due via walk over, due Moldova’s Alexandru Riscan’s injury before the final.

The host nation’s Artem Harutyunyan has World Series of Boxing experience, and defeated England’s Tammer Tournament winner Samuel Maxwell before stopping Russia’s Vitaliy Dunaytsev in the gold medal bout which meant that Germany secured its first gold medal on home soil.

Germany’s second gold medal was delivered by 20-year-old Abbas Baraou whose efforts in the final of the Welterweight class (69 kg) was enough to beat China’s Liu Wei.

Stat/fact of the tournament
More than one hundred boxers competed in the Chemistry Cup, and the quantity was teamed with world class quality in Halle.

Bulgaria, the Netherlands and Turkey all claimed at least one medal in the Chemistry Cup in Halle.

Share on Facebook

Tweet