Monday’s two sessions saw 48 bouts of world-class boxing at the Sibur Arena in Saint Petersburg as the preliminary rounds of the 2016 AIBA Youth World Championships continued at Light Flyweight (49kg), Flyweight (52kg), Light Welterweight (64kg), Light Heavyweight (81kg) and Heavyweight (91kg). The first quarter-finalists were confirmed at four weight classes, while Hugo Micallef won Monaco’s first-ever bout in an AIBA event.

Last eight confirmed at Light Flyweight
The United States’ Dylan Price and Belarus’ Yauheni Karmilchyk began the day with a gutsy and high-tempo bout, but it was Price’s impressive footwork that helped him secure an exhausting victory. Frenchman Billal Bennama again showed his podium potential with a comprehensive win over Finland’s Masi Jurvanen and Chinese Taipei 17-year-old Cheng-Yu Hsu put in an exquisite display to eliminate one of Kyrgyzstan’s big medal hopes Syrgak Dzhanseitov and will now face India’s Sachin Siwach Singh for a place in the Semi-Finals.

Flyweight Nunez in uncompromising mood
Cuba’s Elio Crespo looked every bit as good as his pre-tournament form suggested against Puerto Rico’s Bryan Almeida, controlling the bout to see him through to a Quarter-Final match-up against Kazakhstan’s two-time Brandenburg Youth Cup champion Aidos Arapov, winner of a brilliant bout against Armenia’s Zhirayr Sargsyan. The Ukraine’s European Junior Champion Artem Demianenko also looked happy on his return to Saint Petersburg following last year’s Junior World Championships, again demonstrating his power against Mongolia’s Munkhbaatar Tsagaanbaatar.

The Dominican Republic’s American Confederation Youth Champion Luis Reynaldo Nunez then put in one of the performances of his life to overcome England’s European Confederation Youth Champion Akash Tuqir and will face Uzbekistan’s Otabek Kholmatov, after he proved too strong for Nicaragua’s Darwin Jose Martinez.

Micallef shines for Monaco at Light Welterweight
At Light Welterweight, it was the 18-year-old Hugo Micallef who took the limelight with some smart boxing and brilliant movement against the Philippines’ Ronald Chavez to earn his country’s first victory in an AIBA event. Micallef’s next opponent will be Ireland’s Gabriel Dossen, winner of a frenetic encounter against the American Freudis Rojas. Turkey’s Junior World Champion Tugrulhan Erdemir gave Singapore’s Dhinesh Kumar little time to show what he can do with a first-round TKO victory, and now meets Germany’s European Youth Champion Denis Gashi after he was too fast for Chinese Taipei’s Kai-Yu Hsieh in a tight contest.

Georgia’s European Confederation Youth Champion Eskerkhan Madiev eliminated Japan’s Issei Aramoto thanks to an inspired final three minutes, before India’s Ashish Kulhriya overcame Puerto Rico’s Omar Antonio Rosario. Russian Sergei Margarian then won a split decision against China’s Mamuti Yibulayimu and will go up against Lithuania’s Airijus Vitlipas for a place in the last sixteen.

Nurdauletov comes through Light Heavyweight test
Welsh talent Sammy Lee forged his way into the Quarter-Finals of the Light Heavyweight competition after finding the target with some powerful hooks against Italy’s Salvatore Scala, and faces Ukraine’s Roman Savitskyi, winner against India’s Reyal Puri for a Semi-Final berth and a guaranteed medal. Ireland’s Christopher O’Reilly also found his range and rhythm to defeat Finland’s Krenar Aliu, before Kazakhstan’s top youth boxer Bekzad Nurdauletov held off a spirited comeback from Uzbekistan’s Asian Youth Champion Sanjar Tursunov in one of the bouts of the day.

Michalek delivers sensational TKO at Heavyweight
Cuba’s AIBA Junior World Champion Dainier Pero was made to work hard in his opening bout against Georgia’s Nikoloz Begadze, and again faced a stern test in the form of Azerbaijan’s Heydar Aliyev Junior Cup winner Elbrus Akperov on Day Five. The 17-year-old Pero was sharp enough to avoid the Azeri’s repeated attacks, however, and will now tackle Poland’s Kamil Offman, who eliminated Lithuania’s Robertas Jokulys in a one-sided bout. Slovakia’s David Michalek then delivered a huge TKO win against Kazakhstan’s Mukhamedzhan Taibagar in one of the day’s biggest results to set up a Quarter-Final with Russia’s Vladimir Uzunian.

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