The last major tournament of 2011, the Olympic Boxing Test Event started with the quarter-finals at the ExCeL in London where the athletes can try the official Olympic venue.
In the light flyweight class, Asian Games silver medallist, Kazakh Birzhan Zhakipov who was very sad following the AIBA World Boxing Championships Baku 2011 showed his real skills in London. The 27-year-old former AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist triumphed over Asian Championships silver medallist, Indian Amandeep Singh by an impressive 15:7 and secured at least a bronze medal.
Great Britain's only Scottish boxer in the team is Commonwealth Games silver medallist, Josh Taylor who moved up into the light welterweight division this year. The host nation's competitor was leading 4:1 after the first round against US Olympic Trials winner, 26-year-old Marine soldier Jamel Herring who did his best in the second part of the contest. But it was not enough to beat Taylor in London.
Italy's newfound Dario Vangeli competed at the AIBA World Boxing Championships Milan 2009 but Vincenzo Mangiacapre squeezed him out of the national team. The 23-year-old Vangeli got the chance to fight for Italy in the test event and started well in London where he eliminated a tough Moroccan Mohamed El-Machhabi by 12:6.
Light welterweight competitor, Anthony Yigit is the only Swedish boxer who has secured an Olympic spot in Baku. The 20-year-old fighter had three points deficit against Russia's future hope, National Championships bronze medallist, Avak Uzliyan but he turned up the heat in the last round of the contest and finally defeated his strong rival by 17:15.
The host nation's best welterweight boxer and current European Champion, 20-year-old Fred Evans won each of the three rounds against Uzbekistan's newcomer Jaloliddin Uktamov and finally celebrated a 16:6 victory.
Beijing Olympian, 23-year-old Chinese Maimaitituersun Qiong shocked his rivals at the Asian Championships in Incheon where he claimed the gold medal. The Chinese boxer who has an excellent and speedy footwork stopped Argentina's teenager Alberto Palmeta in the welterweight class.
Current European and National Champion, Russian Maksim Koptyakov had to miss this year AIBA World Boxing Championships, but his Olympic dreams are still alive due to the early drop-out of his compatriot Chebotarev in Baku. At the test event, the middleweight fighter eliminated the host nation's Commonwealth Games silver medallist, Callum Smith by 4:2.
Beijing Olympic Games silver medallist, Irish veteran Kenneth Egan fought in the heavyweight division in Baku but moved back to his original light heavyweight class since then. He opened with a great victory over China's Bao Xuan. The southpaw boxer operated with right hooks during and won it by a clear 13:6.
Joseph Williams from New York got the right to represent the United States of America at the Olympic Boxing Test Event. He made his debut with a great success by triumphing over Commonwealth Games winner Simon Vallily of Great Britain by 15:11 in the heavyweight class due to a magnificent final round.
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