Albania’s Ahmed Koci eliminated a top Chinese boxer in Budva

Albania’s Ahmed Koci defeated an experienced Chinese boxer at the IBA Youth World Boxing Championships in Budva during the tenth session.  

Kazakhstan’s defending Asian Youth Champion Tolganay Kassymkhan had a very difficult contest against Uzbekistan’s Rakhima Bekniyazova but she tried to use her close distance punches to take the lead on the scorecards. She had a tight advantage after two rounds therefore Bekniyazova moved forward more in the third round but Kassymkhan had the routine to win this tight bout.

Russia’s Sofia Molchanova is one of the key boxers at the women’s lightweight (60kg) and she followed Kassymkhan to the last eight after an easy success over French Polynesia’s Hinirau Neha. China’s Wu Yuting and DPR Korea’s Rim Son Su both made outstanding performance in this weight class on Day4.

Lithuania’s Beatrice Savickaite used her longer hands well in the first round against Morocco’s Douae Bouhrir in their lightweight (60kg) contest. The Croatian referee counted the North African once and Savickaite had the technical skills to keep her long successfully in this Round of 16 bout.

Colombia’s Juan Pablo Franco impressed in the Boxam Tournament in Spain before the Budva event and he won his next key contest against Ireland’s Tadhg O’Donnell. Armenia’s Arshak Bablumyan had an easier path to the last 16 at the light middleweight (71kg), he eliminated Poland’s Bartlomiej Sroda unanimously.

Albania’s best youth boxer, Ahmed Koci had excellent achievements in the recent two years and the tall favourite landed good counter-punches against China’s Zhao Shangwei. The smaller Asian was not able to catch the quick Albanian therefore Koci secured his place in the Round of 16.

Israel had several triumphs in the recent three competition days and their Idan Moshe also succeeded over Croatia’s Luka Pavlic at the light middleweight (71kg) today. Russia’s Aleksei Gukov, Moldova’s Igor Bondar and Puerto Rico’s Jesus Pizarro were also among the winners of the session.