The European Youth Championships has started with its first competition day in the capital city of Ireland, Dublin on Monday.
Ireland's team captain Michael McDonagh from St.Mary's claimed the gold medal at the Irish Men's Elite National Championships in February therefore he got the chance to compete at the European Championships in Ankara two months ago. McDonagh had to fight against Youth National Champion and Brandenburg Tournament winner Kristian Stepanov who is the youngest Russian team member in Dublin.
The lightweight's two favourites had to fight against each other in an early final and both boxers did their best but only one could advance to the next preliminary round. McDonagh triumphed over his biggest rival by 12:9 and he may have laid the steps to the gold in Dublin.
England's rising power Henry Thomas who has competed at the 2010 AIBA Youth World Championships surprisingly eliminated Bulgaria's top talent, Youth Olympic Games and Strandja Memorial Tournament bronze medalist Denislav Suslekov by close 10:9 and advanced to the lightweight's Top sixteen.
Azerbaijan's Ahmet Comert Youth Tournament winner 17-year-old Parviz Baghirov will have a chance to reach the top eight in the next round after he eliminated Italy's Matteo Angioni by 9:2 in the lightweight class.
In the flyweight division Turkey's Ahmet Comert Youth Tournament silver medalist Yasin Yilmaz started the competition with great success against Hungary's qualified 17-year-old Oliver Lakatos and advanced to the next preliminary round.
Azerbaijan's reigning AIBA Youth World Champion bantamweight Shaban Shahpalangov was shocked in the first competition day when he was defeated by Russian Youth National Champion Radzhab Butayev by 13:8. Another star in the weight class, AIBA Junior World Championships silver medalist Aleko Chadashvili of Georgia was also eliminated by Scotland's Mark McKeown by 20:11.
Netherlands' Enrico Le Cruz who has experience at the German Boxing League triumphed over Denmark's Danas Pozniakas Youth Tournament winner 17-year-old Iyad Snounou in his opening bantamweight fight while England's great prospect Qais Ashfaq defeated Greece's Ioannis Makariou by a large margin of points.
European Junior Champion 17-year-old Igor Kharitonov had a hard battle against Cyprus' best youth boxer AIBA Junior World Championships quarter-finalist Kyriakos Spanos in the welterweight class which ended 12:6 to the Russian youngster.
Azerbaijan's Agalarov Youth Tournament bronze medalist Fagan Huseynov moved down into the welterweight class just before the event where he was victorious over Italy's Dario Morello who competed at the AIBA Junior World Championships in Baku last year. Their hectic battle finished a close 13:12 to the Azeri boxer.
Italy's middleweight favourite, Danas Pozniakas Youth Tournament gold medalist 17-year-old Giuseppe Ranno who is still unbeaten this year made a successful debut in Dublin where he eliminated Armenia's Vazgen Shakhverdyan by a clear 12:4.
Turkey's spearhead Youth Olympic Games bronze medalist 18-year-old Burak Aksin secured the National Elite title in December therefore he is the top favourite of the light heavyweight class. The Turkish star was too strong for the AIBA Junior World Championships quarter-finalist Nikola Milacic of Montenegro.
Heavyweight star Amber Gloves Tournament winner and Agalarov Youth Tournament gold medalist Ivan Veryasov of Russia had a short fight against Greece's Youth National Champion Fotios Arapoglou on his opening in Dublin. The ringside doctor finished the fight while still in the first round due the Greek boxer's injury.
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