The exciting finals were held on the fifth competition day at the 35th edition of the Boxam Tournament in Castellon de la Plana, Spain. Italy’s Irma Testa, United States’ Naomi Graham, Kazakhstan’s Makhmud Sabyrkhan and Spain’s Emmanuel Reyes have done remarkable performance on Sunday.
The President of the Spanish Boxing Federation, AIBA board of Directors member Mr. Felipe Martinez Martinez and his team worked hard to arrange a wonderful competition in Castellon de la Plana. The Boxam Tournament was established in 1976 and the new edition was one of the strongest ones in the event’s history.
Italy’s Irma Testa amazed once again and won her next title
Italy’s 23-year-old Irma Testa is one of the best featherweight (57kg) boxers in the world who delivered a fabulous performance at the Boxam Tournament this year. The defending EUBC European Women’s Champion was tactically better than all of her opponents in the competition. She did a challenging job against India’s new national team member Jaismine in the first round but in the break, she received excellent advice from her coach Mr. Emanuele Renzini. Testa moved closer to the tall Indian, landed punches several times in the second round. Her speed and experiences were the difference between them and after her great second round, she produced an even better third in the final. The verdict was a unanimous decision in the favor of Testa who claimed her second international title in 2021 after the Bocskai Memorial Tournament.
United States’ Naomi Graham earned her second tournament title within a week
United States’ AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Naomi Graham won the title of the Strandja Memorial Tournament last week and prepared to get her next gold medal in Spain. The US middleweight (75kg) boxer moved ahead in the first round against India’s Pooja Rani but her Asian rival overcame her in the attacks and landed jabs with great timing. Graham increased her tempo in the second round and the referee counted the Indian boxer. The US girl felt she found the best weapon against the Indian and pressurized her rival until the final gong of the bout. Rani looked tired in the third round and Graham’s physical condition decided their contest, therefore, the US veteran could win her next international title in 2021.
Impressive Spain vs. Kazakhstan battles twice at the end of the final session
Spain and Kazakhstan representatives met each other in the finals of the two contests which became the most outstanding bouts between stars. The defending European Games winner Gabriel Escobar and Kazakhstan’s two-time ASBC Asian Youth Champion Makhmud Sabyrkhan delivered one of the most fantastic fights which Spain has ever seen in boxing. The Spanish flyweight (52kg) star controlled the first part of the fight with effective hooks but the Kazakh teenager was able to turn back the contest with superb physical condition and stamina. In the next emotional final of the last competition day, former Cuban boxer representing Spain Emmanuel Reyes won two out of the three rounds against Kazakhstan’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games silver medallist Vassiliy Levit in the heavyweight (91kg).
Statistics and facts of the Boxam Tournament
Altogether 127 elite boxers including 47 women from 17 nations attended the 35th Boxam Tournament in Castellon de la Plana which was a five-day-long competition. The following 17 nations attended the tournament: Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Ecuador, France, India, Italy, Kazakhstan, Lithuania, Monaco, Morocco, Panama, Puerto Rico, Romania, Russia, host Spain and the United States of America.
Italy earned five fantastic gold medals at the Boxam Tournament and became the first on the medal table. The host country of the tournament, the promising Spanish team claimed four titles in the men’s part of the competition. The United States of America earned two gold medals while India, Kazakhstan, Puerto Rico and Russia obtained one title each in Castellon de la Plana.
List of the gold medallists of the 35th Boxam Tournament
Women’s 48kg: Roberta Bonatti, Italy
Women’s 51kg: Svetlana Soluianova, Russia
Women’s 57kg: Irma Testa, Italy
Women’s 60kg: Rashida Ellis, United States
Women’s 69kg: Angela Carini, Italy
Women’s 75kg: Naomi Graham, United States
Women’s +81kg: Flavia Severin, Italy
Men’s 52kg: Makhmud Sabyrkhan, Kazakhstan
Men’s 57kg: Jean Paul Rivera, Puerto Rico
Men’s 63kg: Manish Kaushik, India
Men’s 69kg: Youba Ndiaye Sissokho, Spain
Men’s 75kg: Miguel Cuadrado, Spain
Men’s 81kg: Simone Fiori, Italy
Men’s 91kg: Emmanuel Reyes, Spain
Men’s +91kg: Ayoub Ghadfa Drissi El-Aissaoui, Spain
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