Twenty-five bouts were been held on the second competition day of the EUBC European Women’s Continental Championships in Bucharest, where Europe’s two top female boxers in Ireland’s Katie Taylor and Russia’s Sofya Ochigava both won their bouts in the Olympic Lightweight class (60 kg).

Bout of the day
Ireland’s London 2012 Olympic Champion, and four-time AIBA World Champion Katie Taylor is hunting for her next European title in Bucharest.

The Lightweight class (60 kg) star opened her competition against an old rival, Switzerland’s Sandra Brugger, who has been a member of the Swiss national squad since 2005.

The two met each other in the final of the EUBC European Women’s Continental Championships in Vejle, Denmark in 2007, where Taylor stopped her Basel-based Swiss rival.

In their rematch in Bucharest, Taylor dominated all of the rounds, and advanced to the quarter-finals where she will meet Romania’s 19-year-old hope Lavinia Ioana Mera.

Team of the day
All of the three Polish boxers advanced to the next round during their action on the second competition day, following their triumphs over English, Hungarian and Ukrainian athletes in Bucharest.

AIBA Women’s World Championships silver medallist Sandra Kruk was the first of the team to win when she defeated England’s Sarah Dunne utilising a very aggressive style.

Former AIBA World Champion and London 2012 Olympian Karolina Michalczuk moved up to the Lightweight class (60 kg) this year, and she is unbeaten in her new category.

The 35-year-old veteran was matched against Hungary’s new national team member Vivien Csombor, who is fifteen years younger than the Polish star.

Michalczuk belied her advancing years, and won the contest by unanimous decision, while Poland’s newcomer in the national squad, Natalia Hollinska achieved Poland’s third victory in the competition, when she triumphed over Ukraine’s Olena Kolesnyk by split decision.

Surprise of the day
Italy’s AIBA Women’s World Championships competitor 29-year-old Romina Marenda is an experienced elite boxer, but she had a tough fight against Sweden’s new future star, the AIBA Junior World Champion Ida Lundblad who has joined the elite level after her extremely successful youth career.

Marenda defeated her teenage rival by split decision in a close fight, due a great effort in the final two minutes.

She will now meet with France’s EU Champion Estelle Mossely in the quarter-finals.

Ones to watch
The Bantamweight class (54 kg) is one of the strongest category in the EUBC European Women’s Continental Championships, and the weight class’ top bout brought a real Nordic derby which was held between Norway’s multiple international tournament winner Marielle Hansen and Sweden’s Juliana Soederstroem.

Hansen almost qualified for the London 2012 Olympic Games, and her tactics was successful her Swedish opponent, which means she can now prepare for her next preliminary bout.

Russia’s Elena Savelyeva is the defending Champion at the Bantamweight class (54 kg), but she had to fight at her very best against Azerbaijan’s Strandja Memorial Tournament bronze medallist Anna Alimardanova to advance to the quarter-finals in Bucharest.

In the same weight class, Italy’s veteran Marzia Davide outpointed Serbia’s Jovana Krstic using her height advantage, and her next opponent will be England’s AIBA Women’s World Championships bronze medallist Lisa Whiteside who defeated the host nation’s Claudia Nechita on Day 2.

Quote of the day
“I am satisfied with my performance in the ring today, which was a good start for me here in the European Championships in Bucharest. My tactic was clear against my Swedish opponent and I tried to follow the instructions: light footwork, the best movements and aggression in the bout. I am very excited about my next contest but I know I will be able to solve that one as well,” said Norway’s Marielle Hansen following her triumph against Sweden’s Juliana Soederstroem.

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