SHOCKWAVE

Unknown American knocks out Olympic star Julio La Cruz, writes Jack Figg

UNKNOWN American Khalil Coe

caused a major upset in the 81kgs final of the Chemistry Cup as he stopped Cuban Olympic and World champion Julio la Cruz in the first round.

The tournament took place from June 20-23 at the Erdgas Sport Arena, Halle, Germany.

La Cruz had beaten Dutchman Artjom Kasparian via unanimous decision in the quarter-finals before meeting Irish star Joe Ward in the semi-final. Ward himself dropped La Cruz in the first round with a swift three-punch combination ending with a thudding left cross followed by a right hook to put his opponent to the floor.

La Cruz returned to his feet by the count of eight, and Ward continued to tag his man with lead check hooks and straight lefts throughout the bout. However, the Irishman was also on the receiving end of some sharp counter rights in the final third of the contest. The 28-year-old la Cruz took a split decision victory.

Meanwhile, Coe [pictured]

outscored Canada’s Harleydavid O’reilly unanimously in the quarter-finals, later stopping Slovakian Matus Strnisko in the first round to progress into the final where he met La Cruz.

La Cruz and Coe showcased elusive boxing, both flicking out jabs from the hip while avoiding oncoming shots with well-executed head movement. After a slow start it was who Coe landed the first telling shot of the bout with a well-timed left hook as La Cruz backtracked. However the Cuban was left untroubled. As both boxers met in the centre of the ring, Coe led with a sharp straight right landing flush on the chin of his opponent, sinking La Cruz to the canvas and, despite the Cuban finding his feet by the count of eight, the contest was waved off in the first round.

Fellow Olympic gold medallist

Robeisy Ramirez suffered an upset in the quarter-final, losing a points decision to host nation boxer

Hamsat Shadalov.

Cuban teammate Erislandy Savon found success taking the gold medal beating Ireland’s Kiril Afanasev in the 91kgs final on a split decision, leaving the Irish Elite champion with silver.

Irishman Conor Quinn (52kgs) was beaten by Indian Gaurav Solanki in the semi-finals. His countrymen George Bates (60kgs) and Kieran Molloy (69kgs) also walked away with bronze medals. Bates was beaten on a unanimous decision in the semifinal by Cuban World and Olympic champion Lazaro Alvarez, who would later defeat American

Keyshawn Davis on a split in the final.

Molloy was also beaten by a Cuban Olympic and World champion in Rosniel Iglesias, who like Alvarez, would go on to prevail in the final as he defeated Russian Olympian Andrey Zamkovoy

Arlen Lopez (75kgs) continued the success for Cuba as the 2016 Olympic gold medallist beat Russian

Andrey Kovalchuk by unanimous decision in the final.

One Cuban who did not prevail in the final was super-heavyweight Jose Larduet as American Richard Torrez claimed a unanimous victory to pick up the gold medal.