Tuesday at the Sibur Arena in Saint Petersburg witnessed two pivotal sessions of boxing with 48 bouts at six weight categories, as the last of the Quarter-Final places at the 2016 AIBA Youth World Championships were filled. After Day Six saw the preliminaries wrapped up at Bantamweight (56kg), Lightweight (60kg), Light Welterweight (64kg), Welterweight (69kg), Middleweight (75kg) and Super Heavyweight (+91kg), 80 boxers from 33 nations are now ready to box on Wednesday for a place in the Semi-Finals and a guaranteed podium finish.

Castro scores big TKO at Bantamweight
USA’s Marc Castro and England’s Charles Frankham were gold and bronze medallists respectively at the Junior World Championships last year, and both returned to Saint Petersburg with hopes of another podium appearance. It was the American who began the more attacking, asserting himself into a lead that he converted into an impressive TKO win midway through the final round to set up a tricky Quarter-Final against Russia’s Nikita Piskunov. Canadian Luis Santana produced a tight and determined victory over Welshman Michael McDonagh and China’s Jianming Zeng’s patience paid off against Kyrgyzstan’s Ramazan Suranchiev.

Kazakh Welterweight Akhmedov powers into last 16
After his defeat at the hands of Uzbekistan’s Ulugbek Sobirov earlier in the year, Kazakhstan’s Sadriddin Akhmedov had a point to prove in Saint Petersburg, gradually picking through the Uzbek’s defences to progress to a last-eight bout against Kyrgyzstan’s Aibek Akylbek Uulu, winner against Chinese Taipei’s Yen-Yu Wu. England’s Commonwealth Youth Games champion Mohammed Harris Akbar then looked composed as he overcame Scotland’s Stephen Newns, but will have a tougher test on Wednesday as he tackles Hungary’s Laszlo Kozak.

Hutchison keeps Scottish medal hopes alive at Middleweight
Lithuania’s Vyautas Balsys registered his second high-profile win over England’s Benjamin Rees in six months with an attacking display, before Scotland’s William Hutchison defeated Hungarian newcomer Viktor Arpad. Hutchison faces 17-year-old Venezuelan Diego Pereyra in the last eight after he eliminated Moldova’s Dmitrii Gumen by unanimous decision.

Junior World Champion Abdullayev shines again at Super Heavyweight
Russia’s European Youth Champion Vladislav Muravin quickly got on the front foot against Kazakhstan’s Ayboldy Daurenuly, but the Kazakh used his extra height to good advantage and turned the contest around. Abdullayev progressed to a semi-final showdown with Georgian Giorgi Tchigladze, comprehensive winner over Czech Republic’s Tomas Salek and  Azerbaijan’s Junior World Champion Mahammad Abdullayev again showed why he is among the favourites for a super heavyweight medal with a powerful display against Ireland’s Kevin Sheehy, and will face Australia’s Justis Huni for a medal on Wednesday.

Uzbek Junior World Champion Mirzarakhimov finds Lightweight groove
Bilolbek Mirzarakhimov has had a successful return to Saint Petersburg, building on his Junior World title of 12 months ago with another consummate display against Armenia’s Narek Hovhannisyan. The Uzbek meets Russia’s Beslan Khamzaev, winner against Kyryzstan’s Nursultan Mamataly, while Japan’s Reo Saito dominated his contest with Finland’s Asseme Nouali. He and the USA’s Delante Johnson will battle it out for last-four berth and guaranteed medal in Wednesday’s Quarter-Final.

India’s Ashish Kulhriya wins Light Welterweight bout of the day
Ireland’s Gabriel Dossen halted Hugo Micallef of Monaco’s campaign at light welterweight, before the Dominican Republic’s Rohan Polanco eliminated the Uzbek Bekhruz Rakhmonov. India’s Ashish Kulhriya made it through to a last-eight bout with Russian newcomer Sergei Margarian thanks to an inspired display against Georgia’s Eskerhan Madiev as another intense day of top-class boxing drew to a close.

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