Hungary impress in the Algirdas Socika Tournament

June 1st, 2015 / All

Algirdas Socikas twice won the European Continental Boxing Championships in the 1950s, and Lithuania’s main elite international boxing tournament is named after their boxing hero.

The latest edition of the Algirdas Socika Tournament was held in Kaunas, with many superb bouts across each day producing a wonderful competition.

Athlete of the tournament

Lithuania’s 21-year-old Edgaras Skurdelis gave the home supporters a memory to last forever, as he claimed an excellent gold medal in Kaunas.

The Lightweight (60 kg) fighter stopped Dutch WSB boxer Enrico Le Cruz in the semi-finals, before defeating France’s AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Sofiane Oumiha in the gold medal bout.

Skurdelis is a highly rated Lithuanian prospect, and will look to build on his triumph as 2015 progresses.

Team of the tournament

Hungary claimed three gold medals in the Algirdas Socikas Tournament, beginning with Youth National Champion Mark Szoros who outperformed both Finland’s new APB star Matti Koota, and Armenia’s Garnik Harutyunyan at Bantamweight (56 kg).

London 2012 Olympic Games quarter-finalist Zoltan Harcsa then stopped Dutch Middleweight (75 kg) rival Max Van der Pas to claim another gold, while Istvan Bernath finished all of his rivals at Super Heavyweight (+91 kg) before the final bell to secure Hungary’s third top spot.

Surprises of the tournament

19-year-old Belarusian Ilyas Adzinayeu advanced to the Welterweight (69 kg) final, and survived a first round scare to claim the gold medal against French star Souleymane Cissokho.

Roy Korving also impressed in Kaunas when he defeated Hungary’s EUBC European Youth Continental Championships silver medallist Adam Hamori, and Estonia’s experienced Rain Karlson at Heavyweight (91 kg).

One to watch

England’s AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Anthony Fowler enjoyed a sensational competition as he defeated Germany’s Dennis Radovan and Lithuania’s Tomas Pivorun, before achieving the quickest victory of the last competition day by stopping Ukraine’s Arsen Rizun in the final.

Facts of the tournament

Due to the high number of participants, the local organizers divided the boxers into two groups at Bantamweight, Middleweight, and Light Heavyweight.

Hungary topped the team rankings with their three top positions, while Netherlands claimed two gold medals.

Gold medal winners in Kaunas