The prestigious Grand Prix Usti nad Labem started with 18 contests in the first day of boxing in the Czech Republic. Germany’s Nikita Putilov lost to Austria’s Ahmed Hagag in the final of the EUBC U22 European Boxing Championships one month ago but he has done a revenge this time in Usti nad Labem.
The Grand Prix Usti nad Labem is a traditional boxing event which holds for the elite male boxers this year. The Grand Prix is one of the last preparation competitions before the start of the EUBC European Men’s Elite Boxing Championships which will be held in Yerevan, Armenia next month. The Technical Delegate of the Grand Prix Usti nad Labem is Mr. Viorel Sima of Romania.
Altogether 91 male boxers are attending in the new edition of the Grand Prix Usti nad Labem including countries from Ukraine, Germany, Brazil, Morocco, England, Armenia, Bulgaria, Wales, Poland, Hungary, Finland, Greece, host Czech Republic, Norway, Austria and Luxembourg.
The safety of all participants, the continuous medical checks, the social distancing, the hygienic preparations, the vaccines check, wearing masks and all of the health controls are the responsibility of the local organizers in Serbia to avoid any new Covid-19 cases during the Belgrade Winner Tournament.
The bout of the day
Austria’s Ahmed Hagag is their best boxer in the national team who claimed gold medal at the EUBC U22 European Boxing Championships in Porec, Croatia one month ago. The Austrian super heavyweight (+92kg) boxer has been preparing to the upcoming Yerevan event with full speed and the Grand Prix in Usti nad Labem is his last step on that road. Hagag defeated in the U22 final Germany’s three-years-younger Nikita Putilov and the two finalists from Porec met once again in a unique re-match. Putilov, who earned the title of the 2021 EUBC Youth European Boxing Championships, used different tactic and he has done revenge after his previous loss.
The surprise of the day
Norway’s Mindaugas Gedminas won contests in the recent European Games and AIBA Men’s Elite World Boxing Championships too and he managed to win medals in various international tournaments. The Lithuanian-descent Norwegian met with the new Welsh National Champion, Harris Khan in the first preliminary round of the middleweight (75kg) in Usti nad Labem. The Norwegian has excellent technical skills, he has the stamina and the good physical condition but Khan delivered his best ever performance in their meeting in Usti. The Welsh is not experienced in the international stage yet but he marched to the quarter-finals following his narrow success.
The Round-up
Hungary’s Nandor Csoka was bronze medallist already at the Samokov 2015 EUBC European Boxing Championships and competed all levels of boxing including at the AIBA World Boxing Championships twice. The Hungarian bantamweight (54kg) boxer had a break in the international events in the recent months but he returned at the Grand Prix Usti nad Labem with excellent performance. He followed the instructions of his coaches in all of the three rounds and eliminated Morocco’s Imad Azouni.
England built up a new national team following many of their previous stars turned to professional and the next generation of their athletes are improving from competitions to competitions. Joseph Tyers competed mostly in the youth and U22 events in the past but he is currently their elite No.1 at the light welterweight (63.5kg). The young English gained the control of his opening bout against Czech Republic’s Petr Novak and he was able to his first challenge in the Grand Prix Usti nad Labem.
Poland’s Damian Durkacz qualified for the Tokyo Olympic Games and moved up to the new welterweight (67kg) after the event. The 23-year-old Polish is their top hope in the upcoming EUBC European Men’s Elite Boxing Championships and worked hard in the first day of boxing of the Grand Prix. Durkacz was never stopped attacking in his debuting contest against Armenia’s Harutyun Hakobkokhyan and took the lead on the judges’ scorecards immediately. The Polish boxer kept continue his strong performance in Usti nad Labem against an experienced rival and marched to the next stage of boxing.
Germany’s Nick Bier eliminated Hungary’s Milan Fodor in the first stage of the welterweight (67kg) in Usti nad Labem winning the bout by split decision. His teammate, EUBC European U22 Boxing Championships silver medallist Kevin Boakye Schumann met with another Hungarian opponent, Soma Mester who attended at the Belgrade 2021 AIBA Men’s Elite World Boxing Championships. The German middleweight (75kg) boxer used his excellent technical skills to control all of the three rounds against the younger Hungarian.