Kazakhstan’s 19-year-old World Champion Torekhan Sabyrkhan was crowned at the Boxam Elite Tournament in La Nucia, Alicante region today after a fantastic final bout.

Altogether 90 women and 124 men boxers from 21 nations and four continents are participated for the 20 available titles in Spain’s boxing city.

The bout of the day

Kazakhstan’s Torekhan Sabyrkhan earned a gold medal at the 2024 Youth World Boxing Championships and he became the winner in Liverpool among the elites half year ago. The 19-year-old Kazakh superstar had a difficult first round against India’s Deepak in the final of the men’s 70kg but he switched his tempo in time in the beginning of the second. The Kazakh teenager tripled his efforts in the second and third rounds and the young World Champion celebrated a gold at the Boxam despite his knee injury.

The surprise of the day

Ukraine’s Pavlo Illiusha started the first round relatively slowly but he found the best range against India’s strong Ankush in the second. The Ukrainian knew how to find the weak points of the Indian boxer and he had also the heart in the second and third rounds to keep the physical level of their 80kg final bout. The referee counted Ankush in the final minute of the title contest which guaranteed Illiusha’s gold medal in La Nucia.

The Round-up

India’s Manju Rani achieved a silver medal at the 2019 Women’s World Boxing Championships as a newcomer in the national team. She is now a very experienced boxer in the international level and she started the first round better than Spain’s first female finalist, Marta Lopez Del Arbol. The Indian used her counter-attacking style of boxing in all of the three rounds and she succeeded in the first final of the day.

India’s former Youth World Champion Nitu Ghanghas used the same style of boxing as Manju Rani in her women’s 51kg final. She controlled the second India vs. Spain female title contest and the southpaw bagged a gold medal in the opening event of the year. India’s third-in-a-row gold medal was achieved by the 2021 Youth World Champion Poonam who had a tight success over her teammate, the Paris Olympian Preeti Pawar.

Thailand’s Asian Champion Punrawee Ruenros used her brilliant technical skills to keep the best distance against Netherlands’ lone finalist, Gabriella Weerheim at the 57kg. The 20-year-old Dutch girl won three contests during her road to the final bout but the two-time Olympian Ruenros was too experienced for her today. The Thai No.1 was a genius in the ring in terms of technical skills and she claimed a gold medal for her nation against a developing rival.

England’s powerful Kayla Allen has only four years of experience in the sport but she marched to the finals of the Boxam at the 65kg. The English proved against Kazakhstan’s Asian Junior Champion Nazerke Serik that she is a real fighter and she tried to use her in-fighting style in the final. The final verdict was depended on their performance in the last round when Allen was able to win the bout with great finish.

England’s newcomer Mary-Kate Smith was highly competitive to one of the stars, India’s World Champion and Olympic bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain but her silver medal is also a fantastic achievement at the Boxam. Ukraine’s Raisa Piskun also showed her development in this prestigious international event, she was near to beat India’s Naina at the women’s 80kg final.

Kazakhstan’s two-time World Champions such as Sanzhar Tashkenbay and Makhmud Sabyrkhan both were highly confident in their final bouts at the 50kg and 55kg weight categories. Tashkenbay defeated a local Spanish teenager with points decision while Makhmud’s English opponent, Ellis Trowbridge was stopped by the ringside doctor.

The quote of the day

“I would like to thank for my coaches, the Kazakhstan Boxing Federation, my country and sponsors to be here at the Boxam Tournament with the national team. The organizers have done a great job in this international event. I fought for my proud nation with full heart and I succeeded in Spain for the first time,” said Kazakhstan’s 19-year-old Torekhan Sabyrkhan after his final success.