A marathon programme of 53 bouts took place on Day Two of the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in Saint Petersburg, featuring the first preliminary bouts at Flyweight (52kg), Lightweight (60kg), Light Welterweight (64kg), Welterweight (69kg), Middleweight (75kg) and Light Heavyweight (81kg).

Ireland’s AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships silver medallist Paddy Donovan began his campaign against Poland’s Damian Durkacz. The southpaw Lightweight medal hope looked in good shape as he maintained his advantage to the final bell to progress. Germany’s Brandenburg Youth Cup silver medallist Nick Bier, part of the national set up since the age of 13, then had enough experience to overcome Scotland’s Mark Reid, before Italy’s Francesco Iozia controlled his encounter against Hungary’s Henrik Serban.

One of the most eagerly anticipated contests at Light Welterweight was between Azerbaijan’s EUBC European Junior Champion Bakhtiyar Gazibayov and Uzbekistan’s Bekhruz Rakhmonov. The Azeri southpaw quickly found his rhythm but Rakhmonov grew to his task, delivering a blistering final round to take the tie. Sweden’s Samer Tabal defeated Morocco’s Zine Elabidine Amroug by TKO, and Georgia’s defending EUBC European Youth Champion Eskerkhan Madiev continued his excellent run of form, jabbing his way to victory over England’s Said Eltuyev.

Ireland’s top Welterweight and Commonwealth Youth Games silver medallist Brett McGinty registered yet another impressive TKO against Thailand’s Kiattisak Promchuay, after a superb combination saw him safely through to the round of 32. Russia’s EUBC European Junior Champion Issa Evloev then met Kazakhstan’s Sadriddin Akhmedov, unbeaten so far in 2016, the Kazakh finding his range early on and holding his nerve to set up a tie against Lithuania’s Saimonas Banys.

In one of the key early contests at Flyweight, Azerbaijan’s EUBC European Youth Champion Ruslan Rustamov faced Romania’s Elite National Champion Sebastian Arbuz. The Azeri southpaw looked dangerous from the outset, but a strong finish from Arbuz saw him register one of the biggest wins of the day.

Kazakh Middleweight Bek Nurmaganbet arrived in Saint Petersburg as a strong medal prospect, and looked every bit the podium finisher as he eliminated Italy’s Gerlando Tumminello in an efficient opening display. Croatia’s Matej Uremovic won an impressive bout against Kyrgyzstan’s Mukhamadyusuf Akbarov, before Welshmen Kyran Jones shocked Romania’s AIBA Junior World Championship bronze medallist Alberto Biro to make it through to the second round.

In the Light Heavyweight contest of the day, Finland’s EUBC European Confederation Youth Boxing Championship bronze medallist Krenar Aliu faced Canada’s current AMBC American Confederation Youth Champion Lexson Mathieu. The 17-year-old Finnish hope has several Youth and Junior titles to his name and knew his opponent well, working the openings and narrowly edging an engaging contest.

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