DICKINSON DELIVERS
Mark wins gold for England at tough European Youth championships in Turkey, reports Martin Webb
AT the European Youth championships, which concluded in Antalya, Turkey on October 28, a five strong England team gained valuable experience on how to perform in one of the toughest championships on the circuit, winning 13 of their 17 contests and one gold and one silver medal.
The championships would see 188 boxers take part from 33 different nations, amassing 178 bouts in total.
England’s performance was exceptional considering the competition from some such strong nations such as Russia, Ukraine and Azerbaijan.
Welterweight Mark Dickinson
starred, beating Osman Aliyev
on a split decision in the final. Mark demonstrated a high work rate throughout this final against a solid-punching Russian. Neat back hands found the mark all too often to edge the English boxer ahead in his fifth contest of the championships. With 24 boxers in his category, this was a hardearned yet deserved gold that went the way of the always smiling and likeable youngster from the North East of England.
In the semi-final Dickinson overcame Ireland’s Gabriel Dossen on a split decision. With two completely different styles on show, this was an intriguing clash of combatants. Mark’s high guard and pressure tactics saw him take the first round. The Irishman responded well in the second leaving much to play for in the final round. But Mark bulled his way forward for a great final three minutes.
In the 52kgs final Hopey Price
lost a unanimous decision to Ukraine’s Maksim Galinichev. In an all-southpaw clash, Galinichev forced the pace and never allowed Hopey to settle into his rhythm. Nevertheless, Price, the youngest member of the team put up a gallant effort and never stopped trying to pocket points against the tough Ukrainian.
Far more composed in the semi-final, Price beat Bulgaria’s Boyan Asenov unanimously. Hopey controlled this contest from distance to effectively nullify the threat from the Bulgarian. As the contest wore on, Price maintained his patience, kept his cool and continued to pick at his opponent successfully enough to take a clear points win and secure silver in the process.
Both Charles Frankham and Shiloh Defreitas lost decisions in the quarter-finals, both of them having to contend with harsh warnings from their referees.
RESULTS
49: Daniil Lysenko (Russia) outpd Terry Donoghue (Ireland) split.
52: Davy Joyce (Ireland) outpd Amid Alizada (Azerbaijan) split, Hope Price (England) outpd Gabriel Schiopu (Romania) unan, Price outpd Joyce split, Price outpd Boyan Asenov (Bulgaria) unan, Maksim Galinichev (Ukraine) outpd Price unan.
56: David Kharmats (Israel) outpd Craig Kavanagh (Ireland) split, Shiloh Defreitas (England) outpd Gia Totladze (Georgia) unan, Miroslav Gorol (Czech Republic) stpd John Casey (Scotland) 1st, Defreitas outpd Egor Ade (Ukraine) split, Defreitas outpd Ahmet Otcu (Turkey) unan, Ahmet Otcu (Turkey) outpd Defreitas unan.
60: Artur Sachbazjan (Czech Republic) stpd Eamer Coughlan (Ireland) 2nd, Charles Frankham (England) outpd Danil Seredich (Belarus) unan, Taras Bondarchuk (Ukraine) outpd Frankham unan.
64: Tyler Jolly (Scotland) outpd Ahmad Shtivi (Israel) split, Paddy Donovan (Ireland) stpd Konrad Bialas (Poland) 2nd, Constantin Ursu (Moldova) outpd Jolly unan, Donovan stpd Tomi Lorencic (Slovenia) 3rd, Tugrulhan Erdemir (Turkey) outpd Donovan unan.
69: Gabriel Dossen (Ireland) outpd Pavel Kamanin (Estonia) unan, Mark Dickinson (England) outpd Pablo Coy (Spain) unan, Osman Aliyev (Russia) outpd Sam Hickey (Scotland) unan, Dossen outpd Olexandr Kravets (Ukraine) unan, Dossen outpd Nijat Hasanov (Azerbaijan) unan, Dickinson outpd Saif-islam Madiyev (Georgia) unan, Dickinson outpd Dossen split, Dickinson outpd Osman Aliyev (Russia) split.
75: Jordan Myers (Ireland) outpd Rami Kiuan (Bulgaria) split, Ramtin Mushah (England) outpd Dario Petric (Croatia) unan, Myers outpd Yan Zak (Israel) unan, Mushah outpd Eduard Piirisild (Estonia) unan, Myers outpd Djordje Bujisic (Serbia) split, Ivan Papakin (Ukraine) stpd Mushah 1st, Daniil Teterev (Russia) outpd Myers unan.
81: Alberto Biro (Romania) outpd Lewis Johnstone (Scotland) split.
ENGLAND’S PERFORMANCE WAS EXCEPTIONAL CONSIDERING SUCH STRONG COMPETITION