Six nations qualify boxers for Rio in exciting morning session at APB/WSB Qualification Event in Venezuela
July 7th, 2016 / IBA
Thursday’s morning session in Vargas saw 8 of the 26 Rio 2016 quota places available being confirmed, with five going to WSB boxers, one to APB and two to other pro boxers.
Ten gripping semi-final contests took place during the morning session of Day Four at the APB/WSB Olympic Qualification Event in Vargas, Venezuela, where the winners of the flyweight (52kg), lightweight (60kg), welterweight (69kg) and light heavyweight (81kg) earned quota places for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games as well as a place in the final.
In the day’s opening bout, Venezuelan AMBC American Confederation Champion Yoel Finol successfully negotiated a tough contest against Ukraine’s Maksym Fatych, and will now be able to begin preparations for Rio. So, too, can his opponent in Friday’s final, Germany’s Hamza Touba, after the Rafako Hussars Poland WSB boxer managed to outscore Colombia’s Ceiber David Avila.
“I am over the moon that my dream has come true after ten years of hard work and seven years of boxing in international competitions. My first thought after my win was to my coach and my family, my big thanks to them all. Today I wanted to move fast and launch hard punches from the first seconds. We analyzed my opponent closely and I knew he would be tough, but I came through this vital bout,” said a delighted Hamza Touba after the contest.
Mexico Guerreros’ lightweight (60kg) Lindolfo Delgado came through a tough battle against fellow WSB boxer Yasin Yilmaz of Turkey, and will face pro boxer Amnat Ruenrong of Thailand after he beat the experienced pro Carmine Tommasone. Mexican APB boxer Juan Pablo Romero then narrowly defeated Spain’s Youba Ndiaye Sissokho to earn a welterweight (69kg) quota place and set up a final against Germany’s Arajik Marutjan, who earned the second Olympic spot with a comfortable win over India’s Neeraj Goyat.
Colombian light heavyweight (81kg) Juan Carlos Carrillo beat Poland’s Mateusz Jerzy Tryc thanks in part to an electrifying opening round, and now meets Cameroon’s pro boxer Hassan Ndam Njikam, winner against Ukraine’s Denys Solonenko. The Venezuelan super heavyweight (+91kg) Edgar Ramon Munoz took a step closer to realising his Olympic dream as he reached the gold medal bout by defeating Brazilian WSB boxer Cosme Dos Santos. Munoz will face Ukraine’s Rostyslav Arkhypenko for the gold and the sole Olympic super heavyweight quota place on Friday.
