APB star Erik Pfeifer takes gold at the Boxing World Cup of Petroleum Countries in Russia

January 11th, 2016 / APB

The World Cup of Petroleum Countries took place in the city of Khanty-Mansiysk, in the Western Siberian region of the Russian Federation, at the end of December. Germany’s Erik Pfeifer proved to be one of the few boxers able to break the home nation’s dominance of the medal table, claiming the super heavyweight gold to cap a memorable year in which he became APB’s first World Champion in the weight class.

Russia’s 2015 European Games winner Bakhtovar Nazirov defeated his teammate Shakhriyor Akhmedov in a spectacular bout on route to the bantamweight title, one of six taken by the home team.

“It was amazing to fight infront of the home crowd and after the unsuccessful World Boxing Championships I was happy to win the gold in Khanty-Mansiysk. My opponent had secured some great results in recent months but I knew his weak points and found the best fighting distance in the first round,” said Nazirov after the final.

Moldova’s experienced Alexandr Riscan had enough tactical nouse to beat Kyrgyzstan’s ASBC Asian Champion and great WSB hope Azat Usenaliev in the flyweight final, while Morocco’s sole gold medal came in the light heavyweight class as Hassan Saada controlled the final bout against Germany’s Sergej Michel.

In the women’s event, former AIBA World Champion and Baku 2015 European Games winner Elena Saveleva took gold against the tall Bulgarian Stanmira Petrova, while fellow Russian and two-time AIBA World Champion Sofya Ochigava’s brief campaign proved she was back to top form before it was cut short by an injury in the semi-finals.

Tajikistan’s London 2012 Olympic Games bronze medallist Mavzuna Chorieva was outshone by her younger teammate Shoira Zulkaynarova, herself defeated by defending champion Lyubov Pashina, leaving Moldova’s Iulia Coroli to prevent a Russian clean sweep of golds as she took the +54kg title.

Winners in the World Cup of Petroleum Countries

Women’s 51 kg: Elena Saveleva, Russia

Women’s 54 kg: Iulia Coroli, Moldova

Women’s 60 kg: Daria Abramova, Russia

Women’s 75 kg: Lyubov Pashina, Russia

Men’s 49 kg: Mironshokh Ibragimov, Uzbekistan

Men’s 52 kg: Alexandr Riscan, Moldova

Men’s 56 kg: Bakhtovar Nazirov, Russia

Men’s 60 kg: Ruslan Kamilov, Russia

Men’s 64 kg: Hassan Amzile, France

Men’s 69 kg: Evgeny Ramashkevich, Belarus

Men’s 75 kg: Radzhab Radzhabov, Russia