Croatia's AIBA Youth World Champion and World Series of Boxing Champion Filip Hrgovic of Leonardo BK shocked his local rivals at the Croatian National Championships in Koprivnica on May 22.
The 19-year-old Croatian giant super heavyweight secured his first national title among the elite boxers in Koprivnica after a one-sided contests against young Sime Filipi in the quarter-final, Ivan Andrasic in the semi-final and national team member Stipan Radic in the gold medal bout.
Hrgovic's main target is a qualification place for the 30th Summer Olympic Games and he is training with full speed for the upcoming AIBA World Championships, which will be the first qualification event for London 2012.
In the flyweight final newcomer Denis Muharemovic triumphed over Ivan Klaric of Rijeka by 17:7 and secured his first national title in Koprivnica. In the European Championships bronze medalist Mirsad Ahmeti's absence National Championships silver medalist Ilir Merdja also achieved his first national gold medal after beating Mateo Komadina by a narrow 9:8 at bantamweight.
AIBA Youth World Championships competitor 19-year-old Josip Grbavac's main territory is the bantamweight but he tried to fight at the lightweight in Koprivnica. Grbavac made a good decision with the change and claimed the gold medal after defeating Radovan Bisic Memorial Tournament winner teenager Ivan Njegac by a close 14:12.
European Championships quarter-finalist and multiple Croatian National Champion veteran Boris Katalinic won over Zlatko Hrbic Tournament bronze medalist 20-year-old Stipan Prtenjaca in the light welterweight final and secured his six national title.
Boris' brother European Championships quarter-finalist Borna Katalinic of Lokomotiva has been a member of the Croatian national squad since 2001 and used his experience to beat Neven Janjic, whose ringside abandoned the unequal contest in the first round of the welterweight bout.
Croatia's second WSB boxer, 21-year-old Matej Dujic of Leonardo BK, claimed his first national title in Koprivnica after defeating 26-year-old Sanjin Pol Vrgoc of Pula by a nailbiting 23:22 in the middleweight final and secured his place in the national team which will be taking part in the European Championships.
In the light heavyweight class kickboxer Bojan Miskovic unexpectedly eliminated national team member strong Hrvoje Sep - Croatia's third WSB boxer - by accepted scores in the quarter-final. After this great victory he was unstoppable and claimed the gold medal after beating former European Championships competitor Ante Cepo of Osijek by 21:12.
The most anticipated fight was between Laszlo Papp Memorial Tournament winner Stjepan Vugdelija and Hakija Turajlic Memorial Tournament gold medalist Marko Calic of Pula in the heavyweight division. Vugdelija won the hectic battle with one point difference 17:16.
Croatia will send eight boxers from 56 to 91+kg to the forthcoming European Men's Elite Championships which will be held in Ankara, Turkey from June 17.
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