The best 104 boxers still have their chance to win medals at the AIBA World Boxing Championships in Belgrade after the evening session of the 8th competition day. The winners in the flyweight (51kg), light welterweight (63.5kg) and light heavyweight (80kg) are quarter-finalists, and the key contests will be held tomorrow. Young boxers as Turkey’s strong Kerem Oezmen and Thailand Boxing Federation’s Thanarat Saengphet shined in the evening session.

Roscoe Hill was a hard target for his Armenian opponent

United States’ Roscoe Hill earned silver and bronze medals at their National Championships in 2018 and in 2019 but he decided to stay in the sport and his patience paid off, he was selected to attend the AIBA World Boxing Championships. The US boxer will be celebrating his 27^th birthday shortly after the event and a medal would be the perfect gift for him. The Texas-based US boxer was not under pressure in his preliminary contest against Armenia’s European Games winner Arthur Hovhannisyan. Hill was a hard target for the smaller Armenian, he amazed all experts and fans with his speed and kept Hovhannisyan on a long distance. Hill is not an experienced boxer on the international stage but he eliminated the tough Armenian in the flyweight (51kg).

“I earned the bronze medal in the 2019 US National Trials and I was so disappointed but I decided to continue to get a medal at the big Championships. My opponent was smaller and I used my distance well today. One further step and I will be a medalist. I know I can make it.”

Roscoe Hill (USA)

Kazakhstan’s Saken Bibossinov eliminated the second favorite in the flyweight

Kazakhstan has excellent boxers in the smallest weight categories as well, and despite the busy year, their athlete Saken Bibossinov decided to compete in the AIBA World Boxing Championships. The 24-year-old Kazakh claimed bronze at the last edition two years ago and following his loss in the 2020 National Championships to Makhmud Sabyrkhan, he decided to increase the intensity of his training sessions. That loss was a strong motivation for him and strengthened Bibossynov to beat India’s Deepak after Uzbekistan’s star Hasanboy Dusmatov in another crucial flyweight (51kg) battle. The Kazakh overcame the Indian in the attacks, he had full control of the bout and won the second top bout by unanimous decision.

“I am motivated at this World Championships and my mission is very simple, to take the gold medal.”

Saken Bibossinov (KAZ)

Ecuador’s Luis Delgado reached his career highlight

Ecuador made its breakthrough in boxing to become one of the top American nations in the second part of the 2000s and the beginning of the 2010s. The country claimed its first medal at the AIBA World Boxing Championships in 2017 and their new national team members are ready to repeat that in Belgrade. Luis Delgado joined the elite national team two years ago at the age of 19 and increased his experience mostly at European tournaments. The Ecuadorian worked from a long distance against Georgia’s Nodari Darbaidze and his strategy worked better today. Delgado has done an impressive finish in the first round and the referee counted the Georgian, which determined the scores of the opening period. The young South American produced an impressive performance today.

“Thank God I could win my contest today at the AIBA World Boxing Championships. I am in the Top-8 now and I think everything is possible.”

Luis Delgado (ECU)

Young boxers shined in the evening session

Turkey’s Kerem Oezmen knocked down his Serbian opponent in the previous preliminary round at the AIBA World Boxing Championships and he repeated that against Hungary’s Richard Kovacs in the second minute of their contest. The 19-year-old Turkish boxer won all of their national events moving forward from the schoolboys up to the elite level. He impressed already at the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in Kielce where he defeated Russia’s No.1 Tengiz Kotoian. The Turkish is an impressive puncher and despite his age, he is one of the strongest participants in the light welterweight (63.5kg). Kovacs had an experience but Ozmen surprised him in this contest and the Turkish talent now can prepare for his quarter-final. Another young talent, Thailand Boxing Federation’s Thanarat Saengphet is also 19 years old but he also delighted his fans with amazing counter-attacks, eliminating Venezuela’s Miguel Ramos in the bantamweight (54kg).

“I am so lucky that I could do sparring with AIBA Youth World Champion Thitisan Panmod in the recent eight months but unfortunately he is not here in Belgrade due to his accident. My second triumph in the event is the benefit of these sparring sessions.”

Thanarat Saengpeth (TBF)

Reese Lynch succeeded in the light welterweight contest

Scotland’s Reese Lynch defeated stars during his career but this is the first AIBA Elite World Boxing Championships for the 20-year-old. He is quite tall for the light welterweight (63.5kg) and opened the first round against Spain’s promising Adrian Thiam with strong attacks. The Scottish was better in that bout and he smartly changed his tactics during the fight twice. Thiam moved forward and made a lot of risks in the last round but Lynch’s movements were on a different level and the Scottish remained his chance to win his nation’s first-ever medal at the AIBA Men’s Elite World Boxing Championships.

“I can box and play my own game in the ring against anyone and everything went well today. Everybody is supporting me in Scotland, my family, my coaches, my National Federation, I am thankful for it.”

Reese Lynch (SCO)

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