NEWS

36 boxers from 17 countries qualify for Paris 2024 Olympic Games on busy day of quarter-final action at European Games 2023

An action-packed day of boxing at the 2023 European Games in Krakow saw 36 men and women secure Olympic qualification as boxers from Turkey, France, Ireland, Great Britain, Italy, Spain, Hungary, Sweden, Belgium, Bulgaria, Ukraine, Croatia, Serbia, Denmark, Romania, Azerbaijan and Georgia all earned places for the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. 

Reigning Olympic champions, Busenaz Surmeneli of Turkey and Kellie Harrington of Ireland both earned the right to defend their titles in Paris where they will be joined by numerous other women that will be competing at their second or third Olympic Games, including multiple European and world medallists, Irma Testa of Italy and Stanimira Petrova of Bulgaria, along with 2016 Olympic champion, Estelle Mossely of France.

An absorbing men’s contest saw 16 boxers secure a place in Paris including the home nation’s three-time World champion, Sofiane Oumiha, reigning European champion, Vasile Usturoi of Belgium, Georgia’s rising star, Lasha Guruli, and Tokyo 2022 silver medallist, Oleksandr Khyzhniak among many others.

The action will continue on Friday 30 June 2023 when 8 more boxers will have the chance to secure Olympic qualification.

Petrova and Davison are first boxers to qualify for Paris

The day began with the women’s 54kg bantamweight category where Bulgaria’s Stanimira Petrova was looking to secure Olympic qualification for the third time.  The Bulgarian used her technical skills to control the first round against Ireland’s Jennifer Lehane who replaced the European U22 Champion Niamh Fay in the team. Lehane attacked more in the second round but the 33-year-old Bulgarian proved too strong as she was awarded a unanimous victory on judges’ scorecards. 

In the other 54kg contest, Great Britain’s Charley Davison dominated her quarter-final over Sweden’s Zehra Milli to secure a place at her second Olympic Games. 

Previous Olympic champions progress at 60kg 

In the women’s 60kg category, Ireland’s Kellie Harrington and Sweden’s Agnes Alexiusson knew each other well enough from previous competitions but the Irish superstar has won all of their encounters. The Swedish No.1 was quick in the early exchanges but the reigning Olympic champion from Ireland delivered a strong third round to win the contest by split decision.

In the other 60kg contests the 2016 Olympic champion, Estelle Mossely defeated Kosovo’s World Championship bronze medallist Donjeta Sadiku to qualify for Paris while Gizen Ozer of Turkey and Serbia’s Natalia Shadrina also secured victories.

Eccles and Hamori were motivated at the women’s welterweight 

In the 66kg category, Great Britain’s Commonwealth Games winner Rosie Eccles defeated Ireland’s World and European Champion, Amy Broadhurst, in a hard-fought contest while Hungary’s Luca Hamori, a 22-year-old talent, overcame Luna Beeloo from the Netherlands.

Belgium earned two historic Olympic quotas 

A great day for Belgium saw Oshin Derieuw return from the professional ranks to secure her nation’s first Olympic boxer since 1992 as she beat France’s Emilie Sonvico.  She was joined later in the day by European Champion, Vasile Usturoi, who used his technical skills to overcome Denmark’s Frederik Lundgaard Jensen. 

Guruli and Clancy impressed at the men’s light welterweight

Georgia’s Lasha Guruli has earned medals in all of his major championships in the recent two years and he moved down successfully to light welterweight (63.5kg) before the start of the European Games. The 27-year-old Georgian had the height advantage against Bulgaria’s multiple European Champion Radoslav Rosenov and his longer reach helped him to control the bout on his way to victory.  The other qualifiers in this weight class were Hungary’s Richard Kovacs, Ireland’s Dean Patrick Clancy and France’s three-time World Champion, Sofiane Oumiha.

Khyzhniak had a narrow success and earned a quota at the light heavyweight

Ukraine’s Olympic Games silver medallist Oleksandr Khyzhniak made his debut at the light heavyweight (80kg) this year and arrived in Poland as one of the favourites. The powerful Ukrainian did not disappoint as he defeated Ireland’s Kelyn Cassidy.  In the other light-heavyweight contests, Croatia’s Gabrijel Veocic defeated Estonia’s last remaining boxer, Stiven Aas to secure a place in Paris.  The pair will be joined in Paris by Azerbaijan’s Murad Allahverdiyev and Salvatore Cavallaro of Italy.

The Turkish girls shined in the sixth day of boxing

Turkey has been one of the best performing nation’s so far at the European Games and its boxers continued to perform well.  In the women’s 60kg category, Gizem Ozer, became their first boxer to qualify as she defeated Ukraine’s Hanna Okhrei.  She was followed shortly afterwards by Turkey’s reigning Olympic Champion, Busenaz Surmeneli, in the welterweight (66kg) division.  In the 50kg category she was joined by Olympic silver medallist Busenaz Cakiroglu who demonstrated her brilliant technique against Poland’s Natalia Rok in the battle of the southpaw boxers. World Champion, Hatice Akbas topped a fine day for Tukey’s women as she secured a place in Paris with a win over Italy’s Sirine Charaabi at bantamweight (54kg). 

Laura Fuertes and Jose Quiles are Spain’s Paris Olympians 

A good day for Spain saw its boxers build on recent successes.  At bantamweight, 2022 World medallist, Laura Fuertes, defeated Portugal’s Rita Soares.  In the men’s featherweight division, Jose Quiles, secured revenge over Georgia’s, Artyush Gomtsyan, to earn a place in Paris and avenge his loss from the final of the 2022 European Boxing Championships.

The Italian aces will return to the Olympic Games

After securing a place in Tokyo at the age of 20, Italy’s Giordana Sorrentino has matured into one of the best boxers in the women’s light-flyweight division and secured her place as a second Olympic Games with a win over Nina Radovanovic of Serbia.   She will be joined in Paris by Tokyo silver medallist and reigning European champion, Irma Testa, who defeated Spain’s Jennifer Fernandez in a one-sided featherweight (57kg) contest.

Nebil Ibrahim and Nikolai Terteryan are the Nordic heroes of the day

On a day which saw boxers from 17 countries secure places at the 2024 Olympic Games there was also success for the Nordic countries as Sweden’s Nebil Ibrahim overcame Hungary’s European Championships bronze medallist, Roland Veres, in the featherweight division and Denmark’s Nikolai Terteryan defeated Albania’s, Alban Beqiri, to qualify at light-middleweight (71kg).

The quotes of the day

“I am so excited after today’s success, I have worked for this moment since my childhood. We analysed my Serbian opponent with my coach, and we prepared with the best strategy. I was able to keep full concentration until the last seconds against such a talented opponent. My little son motivated me so much, he watched the bout at home and I was planning to make him proud.”

Richard Kovacs, Hungary, light welterweight (63.5kg)

“I am really happy with this contest, it was a really good quarter-final with my Turkish opponent. He is very tough but we selected the right tactics with my coaches today and I can box for the Olympic quota against Poland’s Bereznicki. I will be more aggressive than ever because I want the Olympic place for Paris at all costs.”

Aziz Abbes Mouhiidine, Italy, heavyweight (92kg) 

The draw and all results at the European Games 2023 can be viewed at  – https://results.european-games.org/EG2023/ENG/schedule/BOX/2023-06-24/all-event

All actions can be viewed live here – https://europeangames.tv/sports/boxing

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Statement from World Boxing following the decision today by the 140th IOC Session to withdraw recogniton of IBA. 

“We welcome the announcement by the 140th International Olympic Committee (IOC) Session to withdraw recognition of IBA.

“This is a positive development for the sport and we were very pleased to hear the supportive words of the IOC’s President, Thomas Bach when he said: “Because we value the sport of boxing so much, we believe the boxers fully deserve to be governed by an international federation with integrity and transparency.”

“The IOC’s decision and the comments by its President make it clear that IBA will never again be allowed to organise a boxing tournament at the Olympic Games and that a new international federation – which is committed to delivering sporting integrity and operates according to the highest standards of governance, transparency and financial management – will inevitably be required to oversee future Olympic boxing tournaments. 

“World Boxing supports this view and understands that being part of the Olympic Games is a privilege and not a right and is committed to working constructively and collaboratively with the IOC and all other stakeholders to develop a pathway that will preserve boxing’s long-term place on the Olympic programme.

“This is a hugely significant moment for the sport.  All National Boxing Federations now have a critically important decision to make if they want boxers from their country to have the opportunity to compete at the Olympic Games at Los Angeles and beyond and we urge every National Federation that cares about boxers and boxing to join and support World Boxing in its efforts to ensure boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement.”

World Boxing to increase representation on its Executive Board and establish new Committees to oversee both Sport and Commercial Development 

World Boxing will add two new members to its Interim Executive Board (IEB) and establish both a Technical Sport Committee and a Marketing and Commercial Development Committee, following its most recent board meeting on 15 June 2023.

Thirteen men and women from 11 countries have been invited to join the Technical Sport Committee which includes referees and judges, technical officials, coaches, administrators and people with competition management experience.  Eight members have confirmed they will join the Committee and five others have been invited.  The first meeting will be at the start of July.

The Marketing and Commercial Development Committee is made-up of four men and women with expertise in marketing and branding, sponsorship, sports administration and business development.  The quartet will hold their first meeting in July.

In addition to the creation of the new Committees, it was agreed that two new places will be made available on the IEB of World Boxing.  National Federations have been asked to nominate candidates and the two new members will be announced in July 2023.

The meeting on 15 June 2023 reported that World Boxing is currently processing a series of membership applications from National Federations and has experienced a significant increase in enquiries following the recent announcement by the Executive Board of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) to recommend it withdraws recognition of the International Boxing Association (IBA).

Representatives of World Boxing will also be attending the forthcoming European Games in Krakow, 21 June – 3 July 2023, where they will host a series of fringe meetings with National Federations that have expressed an interest in becoming a member of World Boxing.

World Boxing statement following the decision of the IOC’s Executive Board to recommend to IOC Session to withdraw recognition of IBA

“IBA’s persistent failure to address longstanding issues over sporting integrity, governance, transparency and financial management has caused huge damage to international boxing and we welcome the clarity provided by the IOC in its statement which says: ‘The Executive Board (EB) of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) today recommended to the IOC Session (on 22 June 2023) to withdraw recognition of the International Boxing Association (IBA), in accordance with Rule 3.7 of the Olympic Charter (OC)’.

“This is a very significant moment as it provides an opportunity for the sport (subject to the decision of the IOC Session on 22 June 23) to move on from the corrosive leadership of IBA which has brought boxing to a place where its status as part of the Olympic programme is in doubt.  

“The loss of Olympic status would be devastating for boxing and have damaging long-term consequences, across the globe, for boxers and everyone connected with the sport, from the elite level to the grassroots.

“World Boxing was established to prevent this catastrophic situation from arising and create a better future and is committed to working constructively and collaboratively with the IOC and all other stakeholders to develop a pathway that will preserve boxing’s ongoing place on the Olympic programme.

“Boxing is at a crossroads and we urge every National Federation that cares about boxers and boxing to think about how they can help to deliver a better for future for the sport and support World Boxing in its efforts to keep boxing at the heart of the Olympic Movement.”

USA’s two-time World Champion, Shawn Porter, pledges support for World Boxing

The USA’s two-time, World Welterweight champion, Shawn Porter, has pledged his support for the newly created international sports federation, World Boxing, which has been set-up to ensure boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement. Speaking on a recent edition of his highly acclaimed The Porterway Podcast, the former IBF and WBC champion said:

“We definitely want to support World Boxing. I will do my part by reaching out to those other champions of today who were, once upon a time, champions of amateur boxing, so we can all support this and keep it moving.”

Porter’s supportive comments (HERE) came during a 16-minute segment of his show dedicated to the situation facing boxing, which is not currently part of the Olympic programme for Los Angeles 2028. It looked at the establishment of World Boxing and featured an interview with Chris Cugliari from USA Boxing, who was involved in the recent launch of the new federation. Cugliari explained:

“It would have devastating consequences for the development of talent through the amateur ranks, globally and in the United States, if boxing was off the Olympic programme. World Boxing is focused on putting the needs of boxers first; strong governance that provides checks and balances so that someone doesn’t have too much control; financial transparency; and third-party oversight of the field-of-play. World Boxing should be the international federation for Olympic-style boxing.”

Porter, who came through USA Boxing’s amateur system (with an impressive record of 276-14) but narrowly missed-out on selection for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing, went on to voice his concerns for the sport if boxing does not remain part of the Olympic Games after Paris 2024. He added:

“The reason I am talking about this is because this is where it all comes from. Any of the greats you have ever seen – it starts in the amateur programme. But now our amateur programme is in jeopardy. We are definitely going to document this (issue) and keep it at the forefront of The Porterway Podcast.”

The section on World Boxing can be viewed from 1:25:00 of The Porterway Podcast HERE.