Tag Archives: Gyula KATE

Astonishing Arisnoidys Despaigne Perfectly Begins Cuba’s APB Journey

Cuba’s historic entry into AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) on Friday night in Kemerevo resulted in a debut victory for Welterweight (69 kg) Arisnoidys Despaigne (CUB), as he put on a boxing clinic against Dimitros Tsagrakos (GRE).

An elaborate opening at the Arena Sports and Entertainment Complex produced an electric atmosphere, and the many fans in attendance warmly received both fighters as they made their way to the ring.

Despaigne exuded confidence in the opening stages of the match, which began by the Cuban fighting off the back foot and using a sharp left jab to accurately deduce the correct angles for more dangerous attacks.

The dynamic footwork of the Cuban enabled him to bob and weave through and difficult moments, while Tsagrakos seemed content to bide his time with defence his main objective.

As the early rounds progressed, Despaigne’s shots began to carry more power, but Tsagrakos took them well, and on the rare occasions he let his own punches go, he managed to tag his decorated opponent with the right hook.

Those moments were all too rare however, with Despaigne’s elusive moment enabling him to begin boxing on the front foot, and a more physical match began to develop.

Although the Cuban AIBA World Championships silver medalist was winning the rounds, Tsagrakos grew in ambition through the middle stages, and never wilted despite the immense pressure he was facing.

By the beginning of round six, both men were in unchartered territory as neither had competed past five rounds in their careers, but despite wilting stamina, each athlete shook off any fatigue to constantly move forward as the war of attrition became an intensely entertaining contest.

Arisnoidys Despaigne (CUB) vs Dimitros Tsagrakos (GRE)
Arisnoidys Despaigne (CUB) vs Dimitros Tsagrakos (GRE)

Despaigne opened up the seventh round with a series of blistering combinations, which perfectly showcased the full range of shots he has accumulated over the course of his lengthy career.

Tsagrakos yet again stood firm, and lasted through to the final bell of the eighth and final round.

After the scorecards from each of the three judges were handed in, Despaigne’s hand was raised by the referee, and it was announced he had the match won on each and every card by scores of 80:71, and 79:73 x2.

The performance of the Cuban was absolutely stunning, and represented a perfect start for his legendary boxing nation in APB.

He will next meet fellow 2013 AIBA World Championships bronze medalist Arajik Marutjan (GER) in Cycle I Round 2, after the German star widely outpointed Amin Ghasemi Pour (IRI).

Two further important matches took place in Russia, beginning with a surprise victory for Gyula Kate (HUN) over the number one ranked Ray ‘Boom Boom’ Okwiri (KEN).

Kate dominated the early stages of the match, before a valiant fightback from Okwiri took the fight to new levels.

It was the Hungarian competitor who eventually prevailed however, winning his first match in APB on two scorecards, with the third judge seeing the fight as a draw.

Arisnoidys Despaigne (CUB) vs Dimitros Tsagrakos (GRE)
Arisnoidys Despaigne (CUB) vs Dimitros Tsagrakos (GRE)

His performance will be rewarded with a Cycle I Round 2 clash with Andrey Zamkovoy (RUS), and the winner of that bout shall earn a qualification quota for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, plus an APB title match against Welterweight Champion Onur Sipal (TUR).

Zamkovoy was forced to work hard in every second of his engrossing clash with Eimantas Stanionis (LIT), but ultimately prevailed by a narrow margin.

Supported passionately by his home supporters in Kemerevo, Zamkovoy made the most of his height advantage against Stanionis, whose pressure based tactics frequently made life very uncomfortable for his Russian rival.

After losing two of the first three rounds, Zamkovoy found his range from the fourth frame onwards, which eventually led to two judges awarding him the contest 77:75 and 77:74, while the third scorer had the fight level at 76:76.

Match results:

Arajik Marutjan (GER) W.P. (79:73/ 79:73/ 78:74) vs Amin Ghasemi Pour (IRI)

Arisnoidys Despaigne (CUB) W.P. (79:73/ 80:71/ 79:73) vs Dimitros Tsagrakos (GRE)

Ray ‘Boom Boom’ Okwiri (KEN) vs Gyula Kate (HUN) W.P. (75:77/ 75:77/ 76:76)

Andrey Zamkovoy (RUS) W.P. (77:75/ 77:74/ 76:76) vs Eimantas Stanionis (LIT)

History Is Written As Arisnoidys Despaigne Becomes The First Cuban Boxer To Compete In AIBA Pro Boxing On Tonight

History will be made tonight in Kemerovo, Russia, as a Cuban boxer will make his debut in AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) for the very first time during the Welterweight (69 kg) Cycle I Round 1 stage.

Fans will be able to watch the action live and free at 20:00 (GMT +6) on http://www.youtube.com/user/AIBAproboxingTV.

When 32-year-old AIBA World Championships silver medalist Arisnoidys Despaigne (CUB) makes his debut against Dimitros Tsagrakos (GRE), he will become the first Cuban fighter to compete in APB, and this news has been greeted with much interest across the boxing world.

With the full endorsement of the Cuban Government, a partnership was made earlier this year confirming that the International Boxing Association (AIBA) has become the exclusive partner for all Cuban boxers from the Cuban Boxing Federation whenever they compete in international boxing competitions, including APB.

“Cuba’s arrival in APB represents a further step forwards into making this competition one of the most vital and successful sporting systems in the world, and we are delighted to be welcoming Arisnoidys Despaigne to the format, as he is one of the most entertaining and fan-friendly Cuban boxers to watch,” said AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu.

Cuba are one of the most successful nations in boxing history, having won a total of 67 Olympic Games medals, and have also earned a deserved reputation as a sporting nation built on pride and honour.

Three-time Olympic gold medalist Teofilo Stevenson was one of the greatest boxers of his generation, but memorably declined an opportunity to face Muhammad Ali despite a huge cash offer, because he would have needed to defect from his beloved Cuba if he had accepted.

“What is one million dollars compared to the love of eight million Cubans?” remarked Stevenson at the time, and those values have remained a mainstay of the Cuban psyche to this very day.

The transparent judging, fair and equal system and reliable match format were all significant reasons for Cuba’s decision to join APB, and the organisation is delighted to welcome the country to the fold.

Mr. Alberto Puig de la Barca, President of Cuba Boxing Federation also expressed his excitement. “Cuba’s historic entry into APB has been an important step in the development of our boxers and we have immense pride in Arisnoidys Despaigne becoming the first of our athletes to display his skill and heart across this world class format,” he said.

Despaigne has enjoyed a very successful career in recent years, and won the deciding match in the Season IV World Series of Boxing Finals for Cuba Domadores.

Tsagrakos is seen as the underdog, but the two-time Greek National Champion has been competing since 1999, which means he will not be fazed by his decorated opponent in the ring.

Arisnoidys Despaigne (CUB) vs Dimitros Tsagrakos (GRE)
Arisnoidys Despaigne (CUB) vs Dimitros Tsagrakos (GRE)

Three more matches will take place in Kemerovo, including an excellent contest between the number one ranked Ray ‘Boom Boom’ Okwiri (KEN), and Gyula Kate (HUN).

Okwiri stunned the boxing world in the first week of the APB Ranking Phase when he sensationally knocked out Marcos Nader, and the Kenyan made it all the way to the APB Inaugural Title Match where he was defeated by Champion Onur Sipal (TUR).

Kate is a highly experienced boxer who has twice finished on the podium at the AIBA World Championships, as well as earning two European silver medals across his distinguished career.

Although each fight is scheduled for over eight rounds, do not be surprised if this match in particular fails to go the distance.

As his nickname suggests, ‘Boom Boom’ carries devastating power in both hands, while Kate also boasts considerable strength, and needs to attack from the outset if he is to triumph.

The winner of the Okwiri/Kate contest will meet either Eimantas Stanionis (LIT) or Russia’s Andrey Zamkovoy (RUS) in Cycle I Round 2.

Both Stanionis and London 2012 Olympic Games bronze medalist Zamkovoy have identical 3-1 records in this competition, and their bout is expected to be a very entertaining clash with neither man known to take many backward steps in their fights.

Zamkovoy will enjoy home advantage of the support of the fans in attendance, while Stanionis is known to perform well under pressure.

Two debutants open the action in Kemerovo, with 2013 AIBA World Championships bronze medalist Arajik Marutjan (GER) facing Amin Ghasemi Pour (IRI).

AIBA Pro Boxing APB

Match schedule:

20:00: Arajik Marutjan (GER) vs Amin Ghasemi Pour (IRI)
20:30: Arisnoidys Despaigne (CUB) vs Dimitros Tsagrakos (GRE)
21:00: Ray ‘Boom Boom’ Okwiri (KEN) vs Gyula Kate (HUN)
21:30: Andrey Zamkovoy (RUS) vs Eimantas Stanionis (LIT)

AIBA Marks On First Footprint On Its Historical Pro Boxing

APB AIBA PRO BOXING

After the initial Pre-Ranking Competitions, the historical first Cycle of AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) Matches will begin today, May 30, starting from holding its 60kg matches in Tashkent, Uzbekistan.

The launch of APB Cycle I Round 1 will be a key moment for the sport of boxing bringing together the world’s top 90 boxers from all four corners of the world to compete in 10 weight categories which represents the pinnacle program at all levels of the sport of boxing.

“The launch of the APB Cycle I is a thrilling moment for the world boxing movement and the whole of sports worldwide. We are creating a truly global revolution in boxing and are providing to the world’s best boxers stable and transparent professional careers. This is a historical moment in many aspects as Cycle is the beginning of great boxing showcases with the skill and power of AIBA boxers with professional competition styles for the first time ever in global boxing realm”, said the AIBA President Dr Ching Kuo-Wu.

APB Cycle I Matches will consist of Round 1, Round 2 (Olympic Qualification Round) and World Title Matches. All matches represent 8 rounds of competitions which will take place until mid-September.

APB Cycle I Matches will be available live on APB YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/user/AIBAproboxingTV) as well as on local TV channels in some territories, such as Arryadia TV (Morocco), Guizhou TV, CCTV5 (China), Deejay TV (Italy) and MTRK TV (Uzbekistan).

AIBA Pro Boxing APB

Detail Locations and Match Ups

Round 1 of Cycle I will consist of 40 matches in 10 weight categories. Across two nights on June 6-7, Guyiang in China will host four matches in the Light Flyweight (49 kg) division such as Wu Zhonglin (CHI) vs Carlos Quipo (ECU), Birzhan Zhakypov (KAZ) vs Patrick Lourenco (BRA), Leandro Blanc (ARG) vs Fazil Kaggwa (UGA) and David Ayrapetyan (RUS) vs Ariunbold Ganselem (MGL).

The Flyweight (52 kg) division will meet on June 6 in Sofia, Bulgaria and on June 10 in Mexico City, Mexico with matches involving Elias Emigdio (MEX) vs Fernando Martínez (ARG), Jasurbek Latipov (UZB) vs Ilyas Suleimenov (KAZ), Mohamed Flissi (ALG) vs Sajad Mohammadpour (IRI) and Redouane Asloum (FRA) vs Aleksandar Aleksandrov (BUL).

Guyiang, China will also host four world class Bantamweight (56 kg) contests with Alberto Melian (ARG) vs reigning AIBA World Champion Javid Chalabiyev (AZE), Benson Njangiru (KEN) vs Jiawei Zhang (CHN), Sangmyeong Ham (KOR) vs Matti Koota (FIN) and Hakan Erseker (GER) vs Yoni Blanco (VEN) on June 6 and 7.

APB “Inaugural Title Match” Welter (69 kg) Weight In (Baku)
APB “Inaugural Title Match” Welter (69 kg) Weight In (Baku)

On May 30, the Lightweight (60 kg) division will meet in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, with four matches including Hurshid Tojibaev (UZE) vs David Joyce (IRL), Dmitry Polyanskiy (RUS) vs Robson Conceição (BRA), Charly Suarez (PHI) vs Magomedrashid Dzhabrailov (RUS) and Domenico Valentino (ITA) vs Artur Bril (GER).

Guyiang, China and Mexico City, Mexico will be the distinguished locations for the Light Welterweight (64 kg) boxers on June 10 and June 20 respectively, where four major bouts will take place across two continents headlined by Artem Harutyunyan (GER) vs Evaldas Petrauskas (LTU). There will also be additional bouts between Carlos Aquino (ARG) vs Abdelkader Chadi (ALG), Juan Romero (MEX) vs Chabane Fehim (FRA) and Vyacheslav Kyslytsyn (UKR) vs Livan Navarro (CUB).

On June 19, Russia will welcome the Welterweight (69 kg) division to Moscow, with Rayton Okwiri (KEN) vs Gyula Kate (HUN), Eimantas Stanionis (LTU) vs Andrey Zamkovoy (RUS), Arajik Marutjan (GER) vs Amin Ghasemi Pour (IRI), and Ariosdeny Despaigne (CUB) vs veteran Dimitrios Tsagkrakos (GRE).

The Middleweights (75 kg) will meet on July 17 in Saratov, Russia, highlighted by Russia’s Artem Chebotarev vs Bogdan Juratoni (ROU), with three more matches involving Michel Tavares (FRA) vs Dmytro Mytrofanov (UKR), Hosam Abdin (EGY) vs Xhek Paskali (GER) and Nickson Abaka (KEN) vs Marlo Delgado (ECU).

Two venues in Sofia, Bulgaria and Guyiang, China will welcome four Light Heavyweight (81 kg) matches on June 6 and June 20 respectively, which will feature Commonwealth Games silver medalist Kennedy St Pierre (MRI) vs Spas Genov (BUL), Joseph Ward (IRL) vs Mathieu Bauderlique (FRA), 2013 European Champion Nikita Ivanov (RUS) vs Abdelhafid Benchabla (ALG), and Serge Michel (GER) vs Oybek Mamazulunov (UZB).

On June 5, the Heavyweight (91 kg) boxers will meet in Milan, Italy, headlined by two-time AIBA World Champion Clemente Russo (ITA) vs Roman Golovashchenko (UKR). Also competing will be Chouaib Bouloudinats (ALG) vs Anton Pinchuk (KAZ), Yamil Peralta (ARG) vs David Graf (GER) and Tervel Pulev (BUL) vs Marko Calic (CRO).

The Super Heavyweights (91+ kg) will battle for supremacy in Marrakech, Morocco on the same day, with Mohammed Arjaoui (MAR) vs Magomedrasul Medzhidov (AZE), Magomed Omarov (RUS) vs Mihai Nistor (ROU), Tony Yoka (FRA) vs Ali Eren Demirezen (TUR) and debutant Frank Sanchez (CUB) vs Ali Kiydin (GER).

APB Inaugural Title Matches: Results

Baku (Azerbaijan) and Istanbul hosted the first round of the APB Inaugural Title Matches for 91+ kg, 75 kg and 69 kg with the following results.

APB Champion Erik Pfeifer
APB Champion Erik Pfeifer

SUPER HEAVY 91+ KG – FRIDAY, 23 JANUARY (19:30 GMT+4)
Location: Baku – Venue: Sarhadchi Complex
APB Champion: Erik PFEIFER (GER)

Germany’s Erik Pfeifer, a two-time AIBA World Championship bronze medallist, was crowned the first Super Heavyweight (91+ kg) Champion in the AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) Inaugural Title Match in Baku, Azerbaijan.

Both Pfeifer and Arjaoui had won all three of their preliminary bouts coming into the Inaugural Title Match at Baku’s Sarhadchi Complex. Pfeifer started the contest well, his punches landing more sharply and accurately than his African opponent. Later, Pfeifer’s extra energy and experience saw him outclass his opponent in the final two rounds, as he pulled away on points. After eight rounds, the final scorecards read 78:74 across the board in favour of Pfeifer who became the first APB Inaugural Titleholder.

Match schedule:

19:30: Ahmed SAMIR (EGY) W.O. vs Sergiy VERVEYKO (UKR) (Exhibition Match: Ahmed Samir (EGY) vs Ali Kiydin (GER) W.P. 55:59/ 55:59/ 56:58)
20:00: Tony YOKA (FRA) vs Mihai NISTOR (ROM) W.O.
20:30: Magomedrasul MEDZHIDOV (AZE) vs Magomed OMAROV (RUS) W.P. (57:57/ 57:57/ 58:56)
21:00: Mohammed ARJAOUI (MAR) vs Erik PFEIFER (GER) W.P. (74:78/ 74:78/ 74:78) APB Inaugural Champion

MIDDLE 75 KG – FRIDAY, 23 JANUARY (21:00 GMT+2)
Location: Istanbul – Venue: Caferaga Spor Salonu
APB Champion: Adem KILCCI (TUR)

The Middleweight (75 kg) division has been one of the most entertaining weight classes in AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) so far, and Istanbul, Turkey was the location for the first Inaugural Title Match which took place between hometown star Adem Kilicci and Russia’s number one seed Artem Chebotarev. Kilicci has been virtually unstoppable throughout his career in the competition so far, and won by scores of 80:72, 78:74, and 78:73.

The new Champion won the first six rounds on every scorecard, and though his work dropped off a little towards the end of the fight, his quality was clear throughout, and he was the deserved winner.

Match schedule:

21:00: Marlo DELGADO (ECU) vs Nickson ABAKA (KEN) W.P (57:57/ 58:56/ 55:59)
21:30: Hosam ABDIN (EGY) vs Dmytro MYTROFANOV (UKR) W.P. (56:58/ 56:58/ 58:56)
22:00: Michel TAVARES (FRA) W.P. (57:57/ 59:55/ 57:57) vs Bogdan JURATONI (ROM)
22:30: Adem KILICCI (TUR) W.P. (80:72/ 78:74/ 79:73) APB Inaugural Champion vs Artem CHEBOTAREV (RUS)

APB “Inaugural Title Match” Middle (75 Kg) Weight In (Istanbul)
APB “Inaugural Title Match” Middle (75 Kg) Weight In (Istanbul)

WELTER 69 KG – SATURDAY, 24 JANUARY (19:30 GMT+4)
Location: Baku – Venue: Sarhadchi Complex
APB Champion: Onur SIPAL (TUR)

Sipal, following in the footsteps of compatriot and fellow titleholder Adem Kilicci, faced Kenya’s Rayton Okwiri in Baku in a rematch of an earlier APB match which was won by the Turkish fighter.

Sipal was performing at a different level to his African opponent though, and the now 4-0 APB superstar reasserted his control of the bout in the fifth and sixth rounds, which meant that Okwiri would need a knockout to win the Title. Kenya’s new hero tried his very best to achieve that in the seventh round, and he gave himself hope by winning the round across the board, and taking the contest into a final frame.

The new Turkish Champion kept his focus in the last round, winning it on two scorecards, and displaying his boxing skills which have enabled him to remain undefeated in the competition.

Match schedule:

19:30: Gyula KATE (HUN) W.O. vs Marcos NADER (AUT) (Exhibition Match: Gyula Kate (HUN) W.P. (60:54/ 60:54/ 60:54) vs Onder SIPAL (TUR))
20:00: Denys LAZAREV (UKR) vs Andrei ZAMKOVOY (RUS) W.P. (54:60/ 55:59/ 56:58)
20:30: Eimantas STANIONIS (LTU) W.P. (59:55/ 59:55/ 59:55) vs Tamerlan ABDULLAYEV (AZE)
21:00: Onur SIPAL (TUR) W.P. (78:74/ 78:74/ 78:74) APB Inaugural Champion vs Rayton OKWIRI (KEN)