Europeans dominate on Day Four of World Olympic Qualification Event in Baku
June 20th, 2016 / IBA
The fourth preliminary day of the AIBA World Olympic Qualification Event saw 60 contests at flyweight, light welterweight, light heavyweight and super heavyweight across the afternoon and evening sessions, with the latter weight class now boiled down to the last 8, just one of whom will earn a place at Rio 2016. The winners at the three lighter weight classes progressed to the last 16, with 31 out of the 60 bouts won by European boxers.
A thrilling bout began the day as France’s Elie Konki took on Moldova’s experienced Alexandr Riscan at flyweight. Both boxers tried to take control early on with some attacking boxing, but it was the Frenchman who edged a tight judges’ decision to bring his Olympic dreams one step closer. Bulgarian EUBC champion Daniel Asenov defeated Spain’s Jose Kelvin and will now face current ASBC champion Azat Usenaliev of Kyrgyzstan on Tuesday.
Belgium’s Tammer Tournament winner Dodji Ayigah overcame 18-year-old Canadian Thomas Blumenfeld, while the United States’ Gary Russell eliminated Ethiopia’s Girmachew Bahiru Tadesse with an impressive TKO. Haiti’s Richardson Hitchins again looked in great form as he defeated the South Korean top seed Hyunchul Lim, before Russia’s Petr Khamukov booked his place in the last sixteen of the light heavyweight competition with a composed performance against Nigeria’s Umar Sadiq.
The home crowd then got behind their 2015 European Games winner Teymur Mammadov as he beat the Chinese veteran Guojun Shi, and in the pick of the flyweight bouts, United States’ Antonio Vargas defeated Venezuela’s AMBC American Champion Yoel Finol, while British light welterweight medal hope Pat McCormack also progressed, thanks to a solid win over Qatar’s Thulasi Tharumalingam.
Full results from Day Four:
