Boxers in the flyweight (51kg), featherweight (57kg), light welterweight (63.5kg), light middleweight (71kg), light heavyweight (80kg) and heavyweight (+92kg) earned their medals in the evening session of the quarter-finals at the AIBA World Boxing Championships in Belgrade, where boxers of Scotland, Serbia and Albania joined the semi-finals.

Saken Bibossynov earned his second AIBA medal

Kazakhstan’s Saken Bibossynov achieved a bronze medal a the 2019 AIBA World Boxing Championships. The Kazakh boxer had a hard road to the quarter-finals, he had to eliminate Uzbekistan’s star Hasanboy Dusmatov and India’s ASBC Asian Boxing Championships silver medallist Deepak in the previous bouts. His third opponent was also a top-class, Colombia’s last remaining boxer, Yuberjen Martinez, a 30-year-old veteran in the flyweight (51kg). Bibossynov proved that he is in his best-ever shape and took the lead on the scorecards after the first round. The Kazakh boxer avoided the Colombian attacks, stepped aside and his hooks worked well in the final round. He was able to achieve his second medal at the AIBA event.

“I am in the semi-finals at the major AIBA event at the third time in my career but only the gold is acceptable for me in Belgrade. I was patient and followed the strategy today.”

Saken Bibossynov (KAZ)

Thanarat Saengphet is a young medalist at the AIBA World Boxing Championships

Thanarat Saengphet celebrated his 19^th birthday in August and he has never competed out of Thailand before the AIBA World Boxing Championships. He claimed a gold medal at the Khon Kaen Youth National Games two years ago where he defeated more experienced rivals. He used the whole year to do sparring sessions with the nation’s best boxers and the work paid off in Belgrade. The teenage talent had a disadvantage against Azerbaijan’s Masud Yusifzada after the first three minutes but he was able to turn back the contest with a tactical change. His triumph means that he is one of the youngest medalists at the AIBA World Boxing Championships and this edition is the most successful one for Thailand.

“The first round wasn’t perfect for me but I received strong advice from my coaches during the break. The second round was the best and I fought in the third one as apssionate as I could.”

Thanarat Saengphet (TBF)

France’s third medalist is Samuel Kistohurry

France’s Samuel Kistohurry competed in Serbia for the very first time in 2010 and after 11 years of his first gold medal, he returned with a top result. The 26-year-old French had a tough quarter-final with Javier Ibanez who switched from Cuba to Bulgaria and represents his new nation in a big event for the first time. Kistohurry’s strategy worked well in the opening minutes, the referee counted the Bulgarian at the end of the first round for the advantage of the French. Ibanez was better and better in each round but Kistohurry had the physical condition to take the victory. France had three quarter-finalists at the AIBA World Boxing Championships – Kistohurry succeeded after Bennama and Oumiha.

“I saved a lot of energy in the last contest, I knew that I need it against my today’s opponent. The first round was perfect, everything went well but from the middle of the second round I slowed down. Ibanez is a boxer who has all of the skills and it is hard to box against him. I am so happy that I could join Billal and Sofiane and advance to the semi-finals.”

Samuel Kistohurry (FRA)

Kerem Oezmen showed his best in the quarter-final

Turkey’s Kerem Oezmen was born in Istanbul on October 1, 2002, and shortly after he turned 19, he advanced to the quarter-finals at the AIBA World Boxing Championships. Oezmen showed strong performance at the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in Kielce this April where he defeated Russian and Kyrgyz opponents before Bulgaria’s Radoslav Rosenov stopped him. The Turkish light welterweight (63.5kg) boxer had six months to increase his condition and became one of the biggest surprises of the event. He eliminated Hungary’s Richard Kovacs and later India’s Shiva Thapa also did not find the best way to beat strong and quick Turkish boxer.

20-year-old Reese Lynch is Scotland’s first-ever medalist  

Scotland’s Reese Lynch put himself into the spotlight when he claimed the gold medal at the Golden Gloves of Vojvodina Youth Tournament three years ago and defeated Thailand’s AIBA Youth World Champion Atichai Phoemsap. The 20-year-old Scottish worked from a long distance against Kazakhstan’s Sanatali Toltayev in the first round and with his quick jabs he controlled the bout. Reecko, which is his nickname, used also his height advantage against the smaller Kazakh boxer, who put pressure on him. Toltayev began the third round with energetic shots but Lynch found his best tempo in time in the excellent last round of their light welterweight (63.5kg) quarter-final. Reese Lynch is Scotland’s first-ever boxer who won a medal t an AIBA Men’s World Boxing Championships.

“I can’t believe that we made it, Scotland is on the boxing map and I am the first medalist at the AIBA World Boxing Championships. I surprised my strong Kazakh opponent today in the first round. I gave in everything to this contest. My target is the gold medal now.”

Reese Lynch (SCO)

Albania made history in Belgrade

Jordan’s 23-year-old Zeyad Eshaish became one of the favorites in the light middleweight (71kg) after he eliminated Cuba’s AIBA World Champion star, Roniel Iglesias. Jordan’s No.1 started slowly against Albania’s only quarter-finalist Alban Beqiri and did not find the best fighting distance. The Albanian had an uncomfortable style of boxing and surprised the more experienced boxer from Jordan in the second round. The 174cm tall Albanian won the Balkan Boxing Championships this year but Zeyad Eshaish was the top favorite of their contest. Beqiri, who competed in the 2015 and 2019 European Games, is a strong fighter and his hooks were decisive today which meant Albania also won its first medal in the event’s history.

“It was a good performance for today, I made it from my heart and never stopped working in the victory.”

Alban Beqiri (ALB)

Serbia’s first medal was achieved by Vladimir Mironchikov

Yugoslavia and Serbia & Montenegro claimed medals in the history of the AIBA World Boxing Championships but independent Serbia never made this at the previous editions. Their former Russian boxer, Vladimir Mironchikov had the heart and stamina to make a strong comeback after the first round against such a strong opponent as Kazakhstan’s AIBA Youth World Champion Nurbek Oralbay. The Kazakh landed better punches in the first round but Mironchikov found the fighting range in time to overturn their light heavyweight (80kg) bout in Belgrade achieving Serbia’s first medal.

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