Live! Russia packs a punch at WUC Boxing

19-year-old Armenian also stars on Day 4 

ELISTA — It was the women that got proceedings underway on the fourth day of the FISU World University Boxing Championship, contesting four of the fourteen semifinals slated for the day. It turned out to be a real treat for the spectators in Elista, who have been turning out in huge numbers daily, to the Oirat-Arena sports complex. 

The results of the women’s semi-finals were split down the middle between Russia and Chinese Taipei, with two Russians and two from Taipei winning their respective bouts and reaching the finals. Russian Geliusa Galieva, who has enjoyed a successful junior career, advanced to the final after beating Chinese Taipei’s Chin Chian Huei. Galieva will  now take on France’s Wassila Lkhadiri for the title of the Women’s Flyweight (51kg) University Champion.

Russia’s other finalist is young Anna Afinogenova, who won all rounds against Poland’s experienced Hanna Solecka in the middleweight (75kg) semifinal. She will take on a strong opponent in Chinese Taipei’s Rio 2016 Olympian Chen Nien Chin.

In the men’s competition, Armenia’s EUBC European Confederation Youth Boxing Championships bronze medallist Zhorzhik Marutyan defeated Russia’s Damir Khikmatullin in a closely contested bout. The 19-year-old bantamweight (56kg) boxer will be facing Japan’s Ryoma Kitaura in his quest for gold.

Hungary’s Richard Kovacs, who had qualified for the Hamburg 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships last year, was too strong for his semifinal opponent, Kyrgyzstan’s Temirlan Osmonov. The 21-year-old dominated the bout and advanced to the final of the men’s light welterweight (64kg), where he will face Russia’s Alisa Sharifov.

As the 110 male and female boxers have now been whittled down to 14 men and women, keep track of finals action from the WUC Boxing right here.