LAUSANNE, Switzerland
Boxers from 21 countries showed their strengths at the Cologne Boxing World Cup. 17 winners representing 11 nations were crowned. France's defending AIBA World Champion Sofiane Oumiha and the Russian team made a brilliant performance.
Armenia's Anush Grigoryan, light flyweight (48kg) title holder from the EUBC U22 European Boxing Championships in Vladikavkaz, arrived in Cologne with confidence. She was focused in her final against Ireland's Carly McNaul from the first seconds, and her counter-punches delivered her a gold medal. In the men's light flyweight (49kg) final the Armenian boxer and Rio 2016 Olympian Artur Hovhannisyan lost to Thailand's Wuttichai Yurachai in a spectacular fight.
France's Olympic silver medallist Sofiane Oumiha, unbeaten since June 2017, changed his weight class to the light welterweight (63kg). Oumiha adopted the strength of the punches quickly and advanced to the final against Thailand's AIBA 2015 World Championships bronze medallist Wuttichai Masuk. Both are amazing technician, mainly counter-attacking fighters. This time mostly Masuk moved ahead and their narrow battle with impressive combinations that delighted the crowd. Oumiha's strong finish at the last round carried him a victory.
The Russian team attended with 20 boxers, five of them earned gold medals. Albert Batyrgaziev is a strong future hope at the bantamweight (57kg) who dominated his final against Germany's veteran Raman Sharafa, knocking down his rival once. Gabil Mamedov met the German Hamsat Shadalov and surprisingly defeated this talented rival in the final of the lightweight (60kg).
London 2012 Olympic Games bronze medallist Andrey Zamkovoy won a re-match against his teammate Khariton Agrba in the welterweight (69kg) final. Russia's promising star Muslim Gadzhimagomedov had to push it to the max to beat Ireland's Anthony Browne at the heavyweight (91kg). The fifth Russian gold medal was captured surprisingly by Sergei Egorov who triumphed over his National Champion teammate Ivan Veryasov in the super heavyweight (+91kg).
List of the winners of the Cologne Boxing World Cup
Women's 51kg: Anush Grigoryan, Armenia
Women's 54kg: Maisnam Meena Kumari Devi, India
Women's 57kg: Michaela Walsh, Ireland
Women's 60kg: Mira Potkonen, Finland
Women's 64kg: Yang Chengyu, China
Women's 69kg: Yang Liu, China
Women's 75kg: Lauren Price, Wales
Men's 49kg: Wuttichai Yurachai, Thailand
Men's 52kg: Billal Bennama, France
Men's 57kg: Albert Batyrgaziev, Russia
Men's 60kg: Gabil Mamedov, Russia
Men's 63kg: Sofiane Oumiha, France
Men's 69kg: Andrei Zamkovoy, Russia
Men's 75kg: Osley Iglesias, Cuba
Men's 81kg: Abu-Lubdeh Abdulrahman, Germany
Men's 91kg: Muslim Gadzhimagomedov, Russia
Men's +91kg: Sergei Egorov, Russia