Finland’s capital, Helsinki will be the host of the 44th edition of the Gee Bee Tournament as the next highlight among the European competitions.
The Gee Bee Tournament is a great international competition with excellent possibilities to prepare for the big championships this year, including the European Elite Boxing Championships.
Belgium, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Kazakhstan, Netherlands, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland, United States of America and Wales are the participating countries in the upcoming edition in Helsinki.
The competition venue will be the Helsinki Sport Hall where altogether 17 winners to be crowned in the new edition. The accommodation and the meals will be at the Hotel Scandic Kallio as in the previous years.
The women boxers can participate in seven different weight categories in Helsinki at the 48kg, 51kg, 54kg, 57kg, 60kg, 65kg, and 70kg divisions. The 10 men’s elite weight categories are in the event as follows: 50kg, 55kg, 60kg, 65kg, 70kg, 75kg, 80kg, 85kg, 90kg and +90kg.
The first edition of the Gee Bee Tournament was held in 1982 and the competition has the tradition with high quality of standard. The competition was named after Gunnar Baerlund, Finland’s heavyweight European Champion from 1934.
Sweden’s best male boxer, Kevin Scott, Netherlands’ Kian Terwint and Finland’s Ismail Umar won the awards at the 43rdedition of the Gee Bee Tournament in Helsinki one year ago.
Altogether 84 bouts were held in the last edition of the Gee Bee Tournament and representatives from Australia, Belgium, Chinese Taipei, Czechia, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Lithuania, Netherlands, Norway, Scotland, Sweden, Switzerland, and Wales participated in 2025.
The facts of the Gee Bee Tournament
Name: Gee Bee Tournament
Competition Period: April 9-12
Venue: Helsinki, Finland
Gender: Women & Men
Age Group: Elite
Date of Birth of the boxers: 1986-2007 born boxers
The schedule of the Gee Bee Tournament
April 8 – Arrivals of the delegations
April 8 – Sport Entries Check
April 8, 20:00 – Technical Meeting
April 8, 21:00 – Official Draw
April 9, 18:00 – Day1 competition
April 10, 12:00 & 18:00 – Day2 competition
April 11, 12:00 & 18:00 – Day3 competition
April 12, 13:00 – Day4 competition with the finals
April 13 – Departures of the delegations
The boxers who need to be watched in the Gee Bee Tournament
- Wassila Lkhadiri, France, women’s 51kg – Olympian; World Championships bronze medallist
- Jennifer Lozano, United States of America, women’s 51kg – Olympian; Panamerican Champion
- Zhaina Shekerbekova, Kazakhstan, women’s 54kg – Olympian; World Championships silver medallist; Asian Champion
- Sirine Charaabi, Italy, women’s 54kg – Olympian; World Championships bronze medallist
- Emma Jokiaho, Finland, women’s 54kg – European Championships bronze medallist
- Maud Van der Toorn, Netherlands, women’s 60kg – Youth World Champion
- Ginevra Muzzi, Italy, women’s 60kg – European Youth Champion
- Niamh Mitchell, Scotland, women’s 60kg – European Junior Champion; Bocskai Memorial Tournament winner
- Aaliyah Hoppema, Netherlands, women’s 65kg – Silver medallist at the U19 World Boxing Championships
- Zhasmin Kizatova, Kazakhstan, women’s 65kg – Asian U22 Champion
- Maelys Richol, France, women’s 70kg – European Youth Champion
- Rosie Eccles, Wales, women’s 70kg – Olympian; Commonwealth Games winner
- Mohamed Ounai, France, men’s 65kg – Boxam Tournament silver medallist
- Djamel Djemmal, France, men’s 70kg – Youth World Championships bronze medallist
- Christian Sarsilli, Italy, men’s 80kg – European Youth Champion
- Junior Tadah, France, men’s 85kg – European U23 Champion
- Victor Schelstraete, Belgium, men’s 90kg – Olympian; World Championships bronze medallist
- Elwin Belezika, Sweden, men’s 90kg – European U23 Championships bronze medallist