Gilton Benjey Zimmermann made the transition to boxing from kick-boxing just four weeks before the 2009 AIBA World Championships in Milan, but this didn't stop him from putting on a spectacular show last night at the Mediolanum Forum.

The 23-year-old super-heavyweight (+91kg) lives and trains in Breda in the Netherlands, is a national of Curaçao in the Netherlands Antilles and the nephew of kick-boxer Errol Zimmermann.

Before the World Championships, he took part in the "Road to Milan" training camp in Assisi after being selected by the National Olympic Committee of the Netherlands Antilles. He had three test bouts during the training camp before taking on Iraq's Ali Khaleel Salman in his opening bout of the World Championships, which he won 11-4.

It almost looked like Zimmermann would take control of his second-round contest with Cuba's Erislandy Savon Cotilla as well, especially when one of his ferocious hooks made contact with the Cuban. But Savon's experience showed in the end and he booked his place in the quarter-finals at Zimmermann's expense with an 11-4 victory.

The defeat did little to dent the rookie's confidence, however: "I think I was today the better boxer," he said defiantly. "He was making a lot more punches but I was blocking everything with my arms. For me, I had a great victory and it's only my second bout. It's a big victory for me to be here and to fight like this.

"I had a great time in Assisi. It was a whole new experience. I'm a fighter, so whether it's kick-boxing or boxing it doesn't matter. I love to fight and you can see it too. Next year I'll be the champion."

Zimmermann could be the first of many to get a break in boxing in a nation which he thinks has great potential: "We have a lot of talent but there's no money to organize matches there. We know if we get some support and some money, all our little boys, who are great athletes, can be tremendous boxers and I know we could be the next Cuba."