The Pirkka Tournament opened with 44 semi-final contests in the first day of boxing in Tampere where Iceland’s Ronald Bjarki Manason, Sweden’s Joshua Ndakola and Finland’s Janette Vilen all impressed in the session.
The city of Tampere is the host of the Pirkka Tournament this May but the local Tampere Boxing Association will arrange the famous Tammer Tournament for the elite women and men boxers later this year.
Tampere hosted the 1993 edition of the Men’s World Boxing Championships and also the European Boxing Championships in the year of 2000.
Boxers from the U19, U17, U15 and U13 age groups are eligible to participate in the Pirkka Tournament this year.
The bout of the day
Iceland had some excellent results in the recent one year in various events and the country has a growing boxing market. Their best U19 boxer, Ronald Bjarki Manason is a well-known athlete in the Nordic regional events and he had the speed to catch Sweden’s Adam Rhafouli in the first round of their 50kg contest. The Swedish stepped into the gas in the second round but Manason had the right response to the tactical changes to take the victory.
The surprise of the day
Sweden’s Joshua Ndakola claimed only a bronze medal in their U17 National Championships last month but he received the right to compete at the Pirkka Tournament, representing the national team. Ndakola shocked his Finnish opponent, Mikki Ukkola in the first round and he looked stronger in all of the exchanges in the semi-finals at the 70kg.
The Round-up
Norway’s Andrea Bjornsen and Sweden’s Matilda Molin both participated in several international competitions in the Nordic region and their U19 final bout had the quality of boxing on Day1. The Norwegian found the distance better than her Swedish opponent and she won their 65kg bout by unanimous decision.
Janette Vilen competed for Finland at the European U19 Boxing Championships last year and also at the Nordic Boxing Championships. The local boxer controlled all of the three rounds against Helmi Tikkanen at the women’s 54kg weight class and she delivered one of the best performances in the U19 age group.
Estonia’s U15 Champion Rolan Sigajev is only 14-year-old but he has already three and half years of experience from various events which took place in Finland, Estonia, and Hungary. The U15 boxer is one of the top future hopes and he proved his technical skills against Fajer Ghazali at the 48kg weight class.
Wales’ Jenzen Miguel-Powell bagged a silver medal at the 2024 edition of the British Schools Boxing Championships and two years after that achievement, he is a top member of their U17 team. He shocked Sweden’s Alan Mayi with heavy punches in the first round and he dominated the entire 57kg semi-final in Tampere.
Amos Tuomainen represented Finland in the European U17 Boxing Championships last December and he joined the U19 age group this January. Tuomainen celebrated his 17th birthday only two months ago but he looked unstoppable for Iceland’s Kormakur Steinn Jonsson in the semi-finals of the 70kg.
An U19 talent, Ramses Upshaw competed in national events in the recent one year and he gained the control of the first round against Iceland’s Viktor Orn Sigurdsson. The Finnish 80kg boxer was able to continue in the same level of boxing until the end of the contest and he will now meet Mitja Hellen for the title of the category.