2024

49 places at Paris Olympic Games on offer for male and female boxers at the 1st World Qualification Tournament in Italy

Forty-nine boxing places at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games will be up for grabs when the action gets underway at the 1st World Qualification Tournament in Busto Arsizio, Italy, from 3-11 March 2024.

Over 600 male and female boxers from more than 100 countries will take part in the tournament which will see competition across seven men’s weight categories and six for women.

It follows four Continental Qualifying events (covering Europe, Africa, Asia, The Americas and Oceania) which have seen 64 men and 75 women already secure a place at this summer’s Olympic Games in Paris. 

The competition in Busto Arsizio, which is on the outskirts of Milan, is the first of two World Qualification Tournaments that will determine 100 of the final 109 places at Paris 2024, with the final nine being granted as Universality places. The second and final world qualifier will be held in Bangkok, Thailand from 26 May – 2 June 2024.

The Italian event is being organised by the Paris Boxing Unit (PBU) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). 632 athletes (399 men and 233 women) from 112 National Olympic Committee (NOC’s) and the Boxing Refugee Team, as well as Individual Neutral Athletes, are registered to take part.

Of the 49 Olympic places on offer, 28 will go to men and 21 to women. 

The boxers will only compete until the quota places are distributed and there will be no medal matches and or medal ceremonies. It means the tournament will run up to the quarterfinals in all weight categories (4 quota places available in each event), except for the women’s 57kg category (2 quota places available), which will go on until the semifinal stage, and the women’s 60kg category (3 quota places available), where a box-off will decide the third available quota.

Details of the draw and all results from the 1st World Qualification Tournament will be posted at https://boxing.athlete365.org/boxing-road-to-paris-2024/1st-world-qualification-tournament/ once the action gets underway. 

World Boxing will also be posting updates throughout the competition on its social channels:

Home nation dominates with eight gold medals on final day of action at World Boxing Cup: GB Open – Sheffield 2024

Credit: Andy Chubb

A pulsating final day of action at the sold-out ‘World Boxing Cup: GB Open – Sheffield 2024’ was brought to a dramatic close with a stunning super-heavyweight contest, which was stopped by the referee after 65 seconds when a spectacular knockdown by Germany’s Nikita Putilov left Norway’s Omar Shiha unable to defend himself.

It was Germany’s only gold medal on a mixed final day for the team which finished with three silvers.

Speaking in the mixed zone after his stunning victory, Putilov said:” It went good for me today. Sorry for my opponent but that’s boxing. I am not sure I have ever done that before.  Maybe as a junior but never at elite level – that was my first stoppage. 

“It was a good victory for me and very good for my future.  In Germany I am the number two super-heavyweight.  I hope that shows them that I might be number one. I hope they choose me for the Olympic qualifier in Italy (in March) and I will show my best.”

Putilov’s stoppage was a fitting end to a week of top-class boxing action at the English Institute of Sport which saw the home nation finish on top of the medal table with eight golds. 

English boxers won four medals in both the men and women’s categories to cap a triumphant week for the hosts in a tournament that was only the fourth international Olympic-style boxing event to be held in the UK since the London 2012 Olympics.

The last English gold medal went to Ramtin Musah who narrowly defeated his fellow countryman and GB Boxing squad mate, George Crotty, in the light-heavyweight (80kg) final to round-off the tournament.

Musah said: “I could not be happier right now.  It’s hard boxing your teammate because you know each other’s strengths and weaknesses but it’s great to get the win.  I have enjoyed boxing at home this week and I hope this puts me in the frame for selection for the Olympic qualifier.”

The light-heavyweight clash was one of three all English finals on the day.  In the women’s lightweight (60kg) competition Shona Whitwell outpointed Lucy Kings Wheatley while the men’s light-welterweight (63.5kg) match-up saw Patris Mughalzai get the better of Joe Tyers.

Other home nation boxers to win gold included Savannah Stubley at flyweight (50kg), Lauren Mackie at bantamweight (54kg) and Dionne Burman at welterweight (66kg) in the women’s competitions.  For the men, flyweight (51kg) Kiaran MacDonald and heavyweight (92kg), Patrick Brown both topped the podium in their round robin competitions.

English boxers that had to settle for silver included featherweight (57kg), Elise Glynn, who lost out to Maud van der Toorn from the Netherlands, Lewis Richardson who was outpointed by Denmark’s Nikolai Terteryan at light-middleweight and Jack Dryden who was prevented from boxing in his featherweight (57kg) final by a hand-injury and conceded the gold medal to Wales’s Owain Harris by walkover.

The remaining gold medal went to Cindy Ngamba from the IOC’s Refugee team who got the better of Panama’s two-time Olympian Atheyna Bylon in an engaging middleweight (75kg) final of contrasting styles.

Speaking after her medal ceremony, a delighted Ngamba said: “At the moment, I’m just happy that I listened to the team.  The next time when we go to the qualifier, my next competition, I’ll do what needs to be done.

“She (Bylon) is one of the best, an amazing girl, so for me to be able to share a ring with her and handle her shows that I’m getting better each time. I hope that other people enjoy that and that is makes my coaches happy because that is important.”

Looking to the forthcoming Olympic qualifier in Italy in March 2024, she added: “It would mean the world to qualify for myself and for the refugee team.”

Details of all the gold and silver medallists from the final day are below:

 GoldSilver
Women  
50kgSavannah Stubley (ENG)Maxi Klotzer (GER)
54kgLauren Mackie (ENG)Melissa Mortensen (DEN)
57kgMaud van der Toorn (NED)Elise Glynn (ENG)
60kgShona Whitwell (ENG)Lucy Kings Wheatley (ENG)
66kgDionne Burman (ENG)Leonie Muller (GER)
75kgCindy Ngamba (RBT)Atheyna Bylon (PAN)
Men  
51kgKiaran MacDonald (ENG)Salah Ibrahim (GER)
57kgOwain Harris (WAL)Jack Dryden (ENG)
63.5kgPatris Mughalzai (ENG)Joe Tyers (ENG)
71kgNikolai Terteryan (DEN)Lewis Richardson (ENG)
80kgRamtin Musah (ENG)George Crotty (ENG)
92kgPatrick Brown (ENG)Adam Olare (NGR)
92kg+Nikita Putilov (GER)Omar Shiha (NOR)

All of today’s results and images from the bouts can be viewed at https://www.englandboxing.org/world-boxing-cup-gb-open/.

The ‘World Boxing Cup: GB Open – Sheffield 2024’ was organised by England Boxing in association with World Boxing and GB Boxing and was supported by the National Lottery, UK Sport and Sheffield City Council.

For further updates follow World Boxing on social media:

Klotzer and Brown impress on third day of action at World Boxing Cup: GB Open – Sheffield 2024

Credit: Andy Chubb

DAY three of the ‘World Boxing Cup: GB Open – Sheffield 2024’ saw semi-finals in 10 weight classes and the continuation of the round-robin stages in the men’s flyweight and heavyweight categories and the women’s bantamweight division.

On a day that saw the teams from England and Germany continue to enjoy success, the opening session was bookended by two top quality performances by boxers from each nation.

In the first bout of the day, Germany’s Maxi Klotzer continued the great form that saw her win gold in the inaugural World Boxing Cup in Cologne in October 2023, with a controlled performance to unanimously defeat the Finnish southpaw and long-time rival, Pihla Kaivo-Oja. Klotzer will meet Savannah Stubley in tomorrow’s final after she defeated Demie-Jade Resztan in an all-English semi-final.   

The final bout of the session saw England’s Patrick Brown produce an explosive ‘Bout of the day’ performance to defeat Nigeria’s Paris-bound, Adam Olare, at heavyweight.

Boxing in front of his home crowd, the heavy-hitting Brown inflicted a knock down in round one, followed by standing counts in two and three, before the referee finally stopped the contest.

Speaking in the mixed zone after their respective bouts, Klotzer and Brown, were both in a buoyant mood.

Klotzer said: “I think I boxed very technical and very organised in my head. This was the seventh time I have fought her in the last two years, so we know each other completely and I think I won five times.

“I am in good form at the moment and this is good preparation for the (Olympic) qualifiers later in the year. I think the final will be a very good fight and I am looking forward to it.”

Brown said: “I needed to get the cobwebs off for the first two rounds so even though it looked the part, I wasn’t as sharp. In the last round I stuck to my boxing and the stoppage came. It’s a good first fight.

“I’ve been itching to get in there and had lots of nerves and adrenaline, so I am happy to get the first fight out of the way and I look forward to tomorrow. I feel great and I can’t wait. I have got even more support coming tomorrow, so the more the merrier.”

In between the victories for Klotzer and Brown, the first session featured action in four of the women’s weight classes and saw wins at lightweight (60kg) for England’s Lucy Kings Wheatley and Shona Whitwell who will meet in an all-England final.

At bantamweight (54kg), Denmark’s Melissa Mortensen and Lauren Mackie from England secured routine victories and will face-off tomorrow for the gold medal.

Some of the best female action came, once again, in the middleweight division (75kg) where Panama’s two-time Olympian, Atheyna Bylon and Cindy Ngamba from the IOC’s Refugee Team enjoyed unanimous victories over home nation boxers to set-up a mouthwatering final.

In the men’s categories, Jack Dryden and Owain Harris, who are both part of the GB Boxing Olympic squad, won their featherweight semi-finals and will battle it out for gold tomorrow in an England versus Wales final.

The evening session saw English boxers continue to do well with victories for Elise Glynn at featherweight (57kg), Joe Tyers and Patris Mughalzai at light-welterweight (63.5kg), Lewis Richardson at light-middleweight (71kg) and Ramtin Musah at light-heavyweight (80kg). 

For the Germans it ended on a mixed note in the super-heavyweight division. A victory for Nikita Putilov put him in tomorrow’s final but his teammate and 2022 European champion, Nelvie Tiafack, failed to make it an all-German affair when he lost by a split decision to Omar Shiha of Norway.

Other boxers from the later session that will box in the last day of competition tomorrow include Germany’s Salah Ibrahim and Denmark’s 2023 European Games gold medallist, Nikolai Terteryan who will contest the light-middleweight final.

All of today’s results and images from the bouts can be viewed at  https://www.englandboxing.org/world-boxing-cup-gb-open/.

The final day of action on Saturday 20 January 2024 will feature two sessions of boxing, starting at 10:00 and 13:30 and is being streamed live on World Boxing’s YouTube page and the BBC.

World Boxing YouTube

BBC:

The ‘World Boxing Cup: GB Open – Sheffield 2024’ is being delivered by England Boxing in association with World Boxing and GB Boxing and is supported by the National Lottery, UK Sport and Sheffield City Council.

World Boxing will be posting updates throughout the competition on its social media channels:

Men and women deliver more top-class action on day two of World Boxing Cup: GB Open – Sheffield 2024

Credit: Andy Chubb

DAY two of the ‘World Boxing Cup: GB Open – Sheffield 2024’ saw the action continue with a series of outstanding bouts as the women’s middleweight (75kg) and men’s light-heavyweight (80kg) competitions got underway and Denmark’s European Games gold medallist, Nikolai Terteryan, entered the tournament in the men’s light-middleweight (71kg) category.

The women’s middleweight division is one of the most competitive categories in the competition and did not disappoint as the packed crowd at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield was treated to a series of excellent contests in the first session of the day.

It included a typically strong performance from Panama’s two-time world medallist and two-time Olympian, Atheyna Bylon, who secured a unanimous victory over Norway’s Sunniva Hofstad.

Another highly experienced boxer in the middleweight category was Sweden’s Love Holgersson who met Cindy Ngamba from IOC Refugee Team.  The Swede tried to make the most of her height and reach advantage, however Ngamba showed good head movement to stay away from Holgersson’s jab and used her footspeed to mount a series of counters that saw her get the better of the exchanges on route to a split decision victory.

Speaking in the mixed zone after her bout, Ngamba said: “I am very happy.  I stuck to the plan that my coaches and me have been working on. I think it’s common sense.  You’ve come across someone that is taller than you, you have to move like they are holding a gun and they’re trying to shoot you. So, I was moving my head and trying to pick shots but making sure that after I throw, I defend I was listening to my coaches and that helped me to stay disciplined.”

The other women’s middleweight contests were dominated by home nation boxers. 

England’s Kerry Davis recorded a unanimous points win over Nigeria’s Patricia Mbata while Chantelle Reid delivered an impressive performance in which she inflicted two standing counts on Germany’s Irina Schonberger before the referee stepped-in to halt the contest in round three to set-up a mouthwatering match-up against Ngamba in Friday’s semi-finals.

The start of the light-heavyweight delivered more high-class action and a contrast of styles as Wales’s Taylor Bevan faced-up to Kevin Boakye Schumann from Germany.

The pair were all-square going into round three however Bevan’s aggression and persistent forward movement proved to be decisive as the majority of judges’ scored it in his favour to give the Welshman the narrowest of split decision (3:2) victories.

In the other light-heavyweight matchups, Ben Ehis from Germany outpointed Scotland’s Alan Perrie 5:0 while England’s Ramtin Musah had too much for Jindrich Janecka from Czech Republic, who was subjected to two standing counts before the referee brought the contest to a halt in round three.

Speaking after his win, Ehis said: “The first fight is always a little bit difficult for me but I went in, gave my all and won every round so it was a good start to the tournament.  I want to bring the gold medal back home to Germany.”

Other winners in the first session included England’s Kiaran MacDonald and Salah Ibramim from Germany who both secured unanimous victories at flyweight (51kg).

The second session of the day, saw Denmark’s, Paris 2024 bound European Games champion, Nikolai Terteryan take on Tony Jas from the Netherlands at light-middleweight.  Despite a game effort from the Dutchman, Terteryan controlled the bout throughout and never had to get out of second gear as he eased to a unanimous victory on all five of the judges’ cards. 

The other light-heavyweight contests saw wins for England’s Lewis Richardson and Kelvin Soquessa from the Czech Republic. 

The evening’s remaining action was all at light-welterweight (63.5kg) with the stand-out contest being an all-England rumble between Huey Malone and Patris Mughalzai.  The pair brought loud cheers from the crowd as they delivered a non-stop scrap which ended with Mughalzai securing a unanimous victory and a place in tomorrow’s semi-finals.

All of today’s results and images from the bouts can be viewed at  https://www.englandboxing.org/world-boxing-cup-gb-open/.

Friday’s semi-finals will feature two sessions of boxing, starting at 11:00 and 17:00 and is being streamed live on World Boxing’s YouTube page and the BBC.

World Boxing YouTube

Friday 19th January: 11:00-14:00 GMT and 17:00-20:00 GMT URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4UHR9Iyq3GA

BBC:

Friday 19th January: 11:00-14:00 GMT and 17:00-20:00 GMT – BBC iPlayer, BBC Sport website and app. URL: https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/live/boxing/67971065

The ‘World Boxing Cup: GB Open – Sheffield 2024’ is being delivered by England Boxing in association with World Boxing and GB Boxing and is supported by the National Lottery, UK Sport and Sheffield City Council.

World Boxing will be posting updates throughout the competition on its social media channels:

Super-heavyweight contest between two of Europe’s leading boxers lights up first day of action at World Boxing Cup: GB Open – Sheffield 2024

Credit: Andy Chubb

A unanimous split decision (3:2) victory by Germany’s 2022 European champion, Nelvie Tiafack over 2023 European Games gold medallist, Delicious Orie, from England in the men’s super-heavyweight division was the stand-out contest in a top-class, first day of action at the ‘World Boxing Cup: GB Open’ at the English Institute of Sport in Sheffield.

Tiafack’s victory came in the final bout of the first session of the event which is a new addition to international boxing calendar and only the fourth Olympic-style boxing event to held in Great Britain since the London 2012 Olympic Games.

The German doubled-up his jab to take the fight to the home favourite and force him back during a high energy opening round which saw him secure it 10-9 on all five judges’ scorecards. It proved to be decisive and though Orie made rounds two and three more even, it was the 2022 European champion that had his hand raised at the end of the contest.

Speaking in the mixed zone straight after the bout, Tiafack said: “I am very happy about the result, against a home matador. We fought before at the European Championships 2022 and I got the win last time. I feel like he has made great improvements, so it was a great challenge for me.

“My strategy was to avoid his right hand, basically. I knew he was going to try his long jab from distance, so my strategy was to get close, try not to fall in and get my punches off.

“It is hard to fight the home favourite. It is his homeland, so you have to go the extra mile, and I think I did it, and deserved to win today.”

Orie, who has already secured qualification for Paris 2024 by virtue of his gold medal at last summer’s European Games, was gracious in defeat. 

He said “It was a good bout and just what I needed against a top opponent who I respect, and he beat me fair and square today. I needed that to get myself in gear ahead of the Olympics. There are no excuses. I was training very hard but it’s all about learning from this now.

“I have got a good few months to work and polish things off. Today I met a top opponent, I know I’ll meet him in the Olympics, and I’ll be more than ready then.” 

The super-heavyweight clash concluded an opening session that had begun with an all English clash in the women’s featherweight (57kg) division, which saw Elise Glynn score a split-decision victory over Sameenah Toussaint who is also part of the GB Boxing squad.

Other winners in the first session included: Germany’s Felicitas Gangbauer at lightweight (60kg) and Sweden’s Love Holgersson (75kg) in the women’s weights and Kelvin Soquessa from the Czech Republic in the men’s light-middleweight (71kg) class.

The second session saw the German team continue its run of success with victories for Maxi Klotzer at flyweight (50kg) and Hansen Ousainou in the men’s featherweight (57kg) category. Their only loss on the day came in the final bout which saw Nigeria’s Paris-bound Olympic qualifier, Adam Olaore secure a unanimous victory over Tyron Amo in their heavyweight contest.

Other winners in the later session included Finland’s Pihla Kaivo-Oja at flyweight, Welsh featherweight, Owain Harris, and Sweden’s Zehra Millin and Lauren Mackie of England in the women’s bantamweight (54kg) division.

All of today’s results and images from the bouts can be viewed at  https://www.englandboxing.org/world-boxing-cup-gb-open/.

The second day of competition tomorrow will feature two sessions of boxing, starting at 11:00 and 17:00 and is being streamed live on World Boxing’s YouTube page and the BBC.

World Boxing YouTube

BBC:

The ‘World Boxing Cup: GB Open – Sheffield 2024’ is being delivered by England Boxing in association with World Boxing and GB Boxing and is supported by the National Lottery, UK Sport and Sheffield City Council.

World Boxing will be posting updates throughout the competition on its social media channels:

90 boxers from 16 countries to battle it out at the World Boxing Cup: GB Open – Sheffield 2024

Credit: Athlete 365

The countdown to Paris 2024 continues this week when the ‘World Boxing Cup: GB Open, Sheffield 2024’ gets underway at the English Institute of Sport Sheffield, England, 17-20 January 2024.

More than 90 boxers from 16 countries are registered to take-part in the tournament which is one of the last tune-up events before the upcoming Olympic qualifier in Italy (4-11 March 2024) and only the fourth elite, multi-nation, Olympic-style boxing competition to be held in Great Britain since London 2012. 14 of the countries are members of World Boxing. The two non-members, Gambia and Antigua and Barbuda, have been given permission to compete by the Executive Board of World Boxing.

The event is a new addition to the elite international boxing calendar and part of the World Boxing Cup series developed by World Boxing.  The World Boxing Cup is a new format in which male and female boxers accrue ranking points over several stages of competition throughout the calendar year and culminates in a year-end finals event when the stage winners and other top-ranked boxers compete for the World Boxing Cup trophy.

The World Boxing Cup in Sheffield will be first event of the 2024 series and features seven men’s weight categories and six for women, the same as those that will be used at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The 16 countries taking part in the competition are: Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, French Polynesia, Gambia, Germany, Mongolia, Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Panama, Scotland, Sweden, Wales and Antigua and Barbuda. The IOC’s Refugee Team will also be represented by Cindy Ngamba who will participate in the women’s 75kg category.

Other names taking part in the competition include:

  • English super-heavyweight, Delicious Orie, who has already qualified for Paris 2024, after winning gold at the 2023 European Games
  • Germany’s Maxi Klotzer, who won gold and the award for Best Female Fighting Performance at the World Boxing Cup: Cologne 2023
  • Nikolai Terteryan from Denmark who also secured qualification for Paris 2024 when he won light-middleweight gold at the 2023 European Games
  • Nigeria’s English based heavyweight, Adam Olaore, who secured qualification for Paris 2024 at the recent Africa Qualification Tournament in Dakar
  • Panama’s two-time Olympian and two-time world championship medallist, Atheyna Bylon who will compete in the women’s middleweight division

The draw takes place at 20:00 (GMT) on Tuesday 16 January 2024.  Following this, details of the draw, all event documents and results can be viewed at  https://www.englandboxing.org/world-boxing-cup-gb-open/.

The event is being streamed live on World Boxing’s YouTube page and, for people in the UK, on the BBC. Details on how to view these over the four days of competition are below:

World Boxing YouTube (https://www.youtube.com/@officialworldboxing/streams):

BBC:

The event will be delivered by England Boxing in association with World Boxing and GB Boxing and is supported by the National Lottery, UK Sport and Sheffield City Council.

World Boxing will be posting updates throughout the competition on its social media channels: