Antonia GIANNAKOPPULOU – W54KG – QF

It was my first match here, and the first one is always the hardest. I’m very happy with my performance, and the next match will be even better, this was my breakpoint. The organization is beautiful, so everything is in place for me to become the champion in this category.

Horváth Laura (HUN) – W54KG – QF

Tegnap sikerült legyőznöm a Spanyol lányt, de a mai újabb siker sajnos nem sikerült. Mindent kiadtam magamból, kitettem a szívemet, lelkemet, ma ennyire volt elég. Nem volt nagy különbség közöttünk és egy jó mérkőzés volt. Sajnálom, hogy nem jött össze az érem, sokat dolgoztam érte, de emelt fejjel távozom, két nagyszerű mérkőzéssel a hátam mögött. Az aréna és a hangulat fantasztikus volt, most dolgozok tovább és próbálom javítani a hibákat. Sok sikert kívánok a többieknek, reméljük Magyarország büszke lesz ránk. 

Yesterday I managed to defeat a Spanish opponent, but today I lost to the Polish girl. Right now I feel that I did everything I could expect from myself — I fought with heart and soul. I don’t think there was a big difference between us. Of course, I gave everything to win, but I still think it was a good fight. I’m sorry I couldn’t get the medal; I worked a lot for it, but it’s okay because I can be proud of the two good matches behind me. The arena is great, the atmosphere is fantastic. We’ll keep working and correct the mistakes. I hope the others who are still in the competition can also perform at their best, and that Hungary can celebrate.

Natalia FASCISZEWSKA (IRL) – W57KG – QF

I’ve just finished my quarterfinal, and I’m delighted to get the win. It was tough,  I knew it was going to be,  but we stuck to the game plan, pushed through, and I got the victory. So I’m really happy, and now it’s on to the next one.
For the semifinal, I’m just going to stick to the plan. I know my opponent, so I’ll listen to my coaches and do what I do best: perform.

Bibiana Lovasova (SVK) – W57KG – QF

I’m so excited that I won this match! I’ve been working all year for this tournament, so this feels amazing. I’ve competed in many tournaments, most recently in Finland at the Turnos Tournament, where I boxed against a three-time world medalist from Thailand. I’ve also competed at the World Championships, so yeah, it’s been quite a journey.

Dobos Rebeka (HUN) – W57KG – QF

Ma éremért szálltam ringbe, de sajnos nem az én kezemet emelték a magasba a végén. Nyilvánvalóan ez egy hatalmas csalódás számomra, nem tudtam kiadni magamból azt, ami bennem van. Ha a másik oldalt nézzük, volt egy jó mérkőzésem tegnap, amit egyhangú pontozással sikerült megnyernem. Következő célom bekerülni a felnőtt válogatott keretbe, (hisz utánpótlásból már kiöregedtem), és szeretném megmutatni mindenkinek milyen jó boxoló vagyok. 

Today I stepped in the ring for medal, but in the end unfortunately, my hand was not raised in victory. Obviously, this is a very big disappointment, that I wasn’t able to prove myself here in front of the home crowd. My match yesterday, on the other hand, was a very good one, and I managed to win even with a unanimous decision. Now, my next goal is to be a valuable member of the national team, and prove everyone what a good fighter I am. 

Emely Dittrich (GER)  – W70KG – QF

The fight was definitely very tough. I struggled a bit but still won. I’m looking forward to Friday for the semifinals and hope I win there too.

Vilma-Riina Kuusiko (FIN) – W70KG – QF

It wasn’t an easy match, but luckily I landed more punches and scored more. I thought I’d want to silence the crowd, but honestly, I didn’t hear anything, I was so focused.

Komjáthi Nóra (HUN) – W70KG – QF

A taktika az lett volna, mivel magas vagyok, hogy távol maradok tőle, és távolról viszek be kontrából ütéseket, amit alapból boxolni szoktam. Nem tudom, talán fejben nem voltam teljesen összeszedett. Elvitt a stressz és az izgalom, pedig sokat dolgozunk rajta, az edzőm Szabó Ildikó sokat segít benne, készülünk a fizikai edzés mellett mentálisan is, és úgy gondolom jó úton haladunk. 

The tactic was that, since I’m tall, I shouldn’t have stopped in close range, because a shorter opponent can usually handle that much better. So I should have kept my distance and stuck to counter-punching, which is what I normally do in boxing. I don’t know, maybe it got into my head, or maybe it was just the stress and excitement. But we move on. We also do a lot of mental work with my coach, Ildikó Szabó, and I think we’re on the right track.

Tadah Junior (FRA) – M85KG – QF

Before every fight I analyze every opponent, so we knew he was coming to fight me in the center of the ring, so we adapt our strategy for him. When he attacked, I could see the openings in his first moves, so all I had to do was counter those attacks. When he threw a hook, I just slipped and answered with an uppercut, or I countered his hook directly. That’s it, I’m simply a counter-puncher.

Rayen Ben Othmen (BEL) – M85KG- QF

My opponent is taller than me, so I decided not to box at long distance and instead go inside. That’s exactly what I did, my right hand always landing on his chin. I’m very happy, the next match is already in my mind, and I’m very excited. It’s my first tournament, so let’s hope I can win a medal. 

Crinuta Andra Sebe (ROU) – W65KG – SF

In the ring there are a lot of emotions. From the outside it may seem easy, but it’s not like that, I had some nerves. The match was very tough, but I managed to win. Now I’m happy to move on to the final, and I’m cheering for my teammate Amalia.

Szeleczki Lilla – W48KG – SF

Nagyon boldog vagyok, régóta vártam erre a tornára, az pedig leírhatatlan érzés, hogy hazai közönség előtt döntőzhetek. Most két pihenőnap vár rám, itt próbálok minél jobban regenerálódni, majd elkezdek fókuszálni az ellenfelemre és a mérkőzésre. Megnézzük és kielemezzük, hogy boxolt, és felkészülünk rá százszázalékosan. 

I’m very happy, I’ve been looking forward to this tournament for a long time, and it’s an indescribable feeling to be in the final in front of a home crowd. Now I have two days to rest and recover as best I can. After that, I’ll start focusing fully on my opponent and the match. We’ll watch and analyze their boxing style and prepare one hundred percent.

Natalia Kuczewska (POL) – W51KG – SF

The fight went the way I wanted. My speed, my cunning, and the precision of my punches made the difference. The tactics went according to plan, and that’s it. What more can I say?

My results speak for themselves.

Szira Zsófia (HUN) – W+80KG – SF

Nagyon nehéz utam volt, komoly edzések állnak mögöttem. Azt hittem, ez a meccs könnyebb lesz, de nem így alakult. Egy hónapja láttam róla videót, amiből készültünk. Az első két menet nagyon kemény volt, a harmadikat már élveztem és egy kicsit felszabadultabban tudtam boxolni. A döntő biztosan nagyon szoros lesz, kíváncsian várom, ki lesz az ellenfelem.

It’s been a very tough journey, with serious training behind me. I thought this match would be easier, but it didn’t turn out that way. A month ago I watched a video of my opponent, which we used to prepare. The first two rounds were very tough, but I enjoyed the third and was able to box a bit more freely. The final will definitely be very close, and I’m curious to see who my opponent will be.

Barbora Maxova (CZE) – W60KG – SF

I’m very happy because we worked hard to reach the final, and we did it. I have my coach here with me, which means a lot, and we are fully prepared to fight for the gold. The final will be very tough though, the Turkish girl is strong and has a style similar to mine, so it will be an interesting match.

Carlos Diaz Lopez (ESP) – M50KG – QF

I had been preparing for this tournament for many months. Recently, I trained in Madrid with the Spanish National Team, and I’m really proud of the work we put in over those two weeks. Many thanks to Rafael Lozano for giving me the opportunity and this time, we managed to bring home the medal.

Louis Rooney (IRL) – M50KG – QF

I had to stay cautious — he was leading with his head a lot, so I had to pick my punches carefully and keep moving. It was a tough fight. But if you want to be a champion, you have to keep getting up. That’s it, that’s the mindset.

Juraj Bona (SVK) – M65KG – QF

It was a very tough fight against my opponent. As I’ve said before, it’s my dream to win this competition, and we’re on the right path. Now we need to rest and keep this mindset going.

Iliev Viktorio (BUL) – M65KG – QF

As I’ve said before, I’m here for the gold, and I won again. My coaches, Zhela Rate and Valentin Poptolev, help me with everything; we’re a great team, so I believe I have everything it takes to win that gold medal on Saturday.

Marko Perkovic (CRO) – M+90KG – QF

I’m still, well, kind of out of breath. I won a medal at the European Boxing Championship in the U-23 senior category, and all I can say is that I brought the first European boxing medal to Bjelovar. No one has ever done that before, and I hope they’re proud of me

Noa Hadjit (BEL) – M80KG – QF

Today I won my quarterfinal against a tough opponent from Austria. I knew him from previous tournaments, so I knew he was a strong competitor and that I had to give my best to get the win. I was more technical and faster, so I won the first two rounds quite convincingly. The last round was more difficult, but I stayed focused, listened to my coach, and got the win.

Bobby Wallace (ENG) – M80KG – QF

It’s obviously great to get the win over a Hungarian fighter in his home country. He’s definitely a tough opponent, but we fought well and came out with the win and that’s all that matters in competitions like this.

Király Balázs (HUN) – M80KG – QF

Jobbnak láttuk a pontozást, de sajnos ő néhányszor látványosabban talált. Párszor szétestem, de próbáltam ott maradni, fogyasztani, és a második menet második felében, illetve a harmadik menetben megpróbáltam megfordítani a meccset. A harmadikban majdnem sikerült is, de sajnos sok erőt elpazaroltam a luftokkal, és most szerintem jobb volt az ellenfelem. 

Jó volt, hogy október közepén Észak-Írországban, Belfastban már volt esélyem vele bokszolni. Ott is hasznos tapasztalatokat szereztünk, és most erre építve raktunk össze egy taktikát ellene. Majdnem működött is, csak még jobban be kellett volna gyakorolni. Ettől függetlenül összességében rendben volt,. persze jobb lett volna legalább a dobogóig eljutni,de most ez van.

We thought the scoring would go my way, but unfortunately he landed the more eye-catching shots. I fell apart a few times, but I tried to stay in it, keep the pressure on, and in the second half of the second round and in the third round I tried to turn the fight around. In the third I almost managed to do it, but I wasted a lot of energy with missed punches, and overall I think my opponent was better today.

It helped that back in mid-October in Belfast, Northern Ireland, I already had the chance to box him. We gained useful experience there, and we built our tactics against him based on that. It almost worked, but I should have practiced it even more. Still, overall it was okay. Of course, it would have been better to at least reach the podium, but that’s how it is now.

FLASH DAY 5

Antonia GIANNAKOPPULOU (GRE) – W54KG – SF

I think I performed better than in my first match; I’m getting more used to the atmosphere now. I’m happy with the win. I haven’t seen my next opponent yet, she’s playing right now, so I don’t know who it’ll be. Whoever it is, I just hope it’ll be a good match. Once I know who I’m up against, I can prepare even better.

Nilay Yaren ÇAM (TUR) – W54KG – SF

First of all, I’m very happy. I knew I could make it to the final, I truly believed in it. We worked really well, the preparation was great. I’ll give everything in the final as well, with the same dedication, to become the champion and to represent my country on the top of the podium.

Natalia FASCISZEWSKA (IRL) – W57KG  – SF

I had a team meeting with my coaches, and we analyzed everything about this opponent. I knew what to expect coming into the fight, it was actually quite similar to my quarterfinal. I stuck to the game plan, I felt sharp today, and I was able to impose my style on her. 

Julia SZEREMETA (POL) – W57KG – SF

The final will be against a representative from Ireland. I know my opponent, so I’m sure it’s going to be an interesting match. I felt really good today. I actually expected my opponent to be more aggressive, but I was able to defeat her quite easily, in a way that I enjoyed and using my favourite fighting style.

Emely DITTRICH (GER) – W70KG – SF

My fight was very intense, and I’m still out of breath. I’m really happy that I won. Tomorrow it’s all about the gold, hopefully I can win that too. I’m still very excited and full of adrenaline, but I’m really looking forward to tomorrow. And many thanks to everyone who supported me, who are here, and who cheer for me.

Barbara MARCINKOWSKA (POL) – W70KG – SF

I’m happy that I won another match. I can’t wait for the final. I’ll be facing a German opponent, so I’m really looking forward to it, make sure to watch!

Izaya GAUCHER (FRA) – M55KG – SF

First of all, this fight was incredible. I used all my stamina, I gave everything and I had to win. This is my first European Championship, so my goal is to reach the top. It was a great fight for sure, but honestly, I have something else on my mind: the gold medal. That’s what I want, and that’s why I came here.

Abdul-Rahmaan BURTON (ENG) – M55KG – SF

I got the victory, but this kid is a wrecking ball. He’s strong and has a tight guard, so we knew coming into this fight that it would be a tricky one. We stuck to our disciplined game plan, stayed focused, worked the body shots and head shots, and I felt strong in there. I actually felt stronger than him. We were able to work both on the inside and the outside. All in all, I’m happy, and now I can focus on getting the win tomorrow.

Radoslav ROSENOV (BUL) – M60KG – SF

This is already my third match at the Under-23 European Championship. I want to set a record and give a gift to our national coach João Arate, because tomorrow is his birthday. God willing, we will win the gold medal, and I can give him that gift. I also want to thank my personal coaches, Sebe Sabev and Bog Sokuruse, and the president of the federation, Krasimir Iniski, for their great support. Most importantly, we are ready. We came here to win the title and, as I said, to set a record for the fourth consecutive time. 

Cinar MEHMETHAN (TUR) – M60KG – SF

This is my last U23 championship, in the previous years I’ve been third twice. Last time I said that if I could win the semifinal, I would go on to win the whole tournament. I kept my word, I won and reached the final, now I’m moving forward. I can promise, tomorrow, the gold medal will be around my neck.

Subah MAMEDOV (AZE) – M50KG – SF

It was very tough, but I’ve already won my second match, so I’ve reached the final. I hope I can win it  for myself, for my coaches, and for my country.

Gabriele GUIDI Rontani – M75KG – SF

I’m honored to have brought home this victory — for myself, for my country, and for everyone who supports me. It was a tough battle, but I gave it my all until the very end, and this is the result. Thank you all.

GÉMES Levente – M75KG – SF

Az ellenfelemmel most boxoltam először, ő egy sokkal rutinosabb versenyző nálam, szerencsére volt is róla elég információnk, ami alapján fel tudtunk készülni erre a mérkőzésre. Jól sikerült felépítenünk a taktikát, bár ő sokfajta stílusban boxol, most tudtam hozzá alkalmazkodni és sikerült mindent betartani amit az edzőmmel megbeszéltünk. Az elején kicsit meglepett, hogy ennyire rámrontott, de ebben az észjátékos taktikus bunyóban én bizonyultam jobbnak és sikerült is a harmadik menetben ezt befejezni. Most egy kicsit még súlyzóznom kell, a holnap reggeli mérlegelésre, de utána minden a pihenésé és a megfelelő regenerálódásé. 

I fought my opponent for the first time today. He’s a much more experienced competitor than me, but fortunately we had enough information about him to prepare for this match. We managed to build a good strategy, and although he boxes in many different styles, I was able to adapt and stick to everything my coach and I had planned. At the beginning, I was a bit surprised by how aggressively he came at me, but in this tactical, mind-game style of boxing, I proved to be better and managed to finish it in the third round. Now I still need to do a bit of weight training for tomorrow morning’s weigh-in, but after that, it’s all about rest and proper recovery.

William CHOLOV (BUL) – M80KG – SF

The match was tough, but that’s why we’re here, to push our limits and become better, both as people and as athletes. That’s my goal. Tomorrow will be my fifth final at the European Championships, and I’m very, very happy. I’m ready.

Bobby WALLACE  (ENG) – M80KG – SF

It was a very tough and definitely a tactical fight, but in the end more grit came into it, who wanted it more. And I felt like that was me in that fight. All the moments in the match pushed me over the line, and I was able to finish it in the third round and get on top of him. Now I’m looking ahead to tomorrow.

Arnas KAZAKEVICIUS (LTU) – M85KG – SF

Tomorrow I’ll face my opponent, and what can I say about today’s fight, it all went according to plan. We watched his fight yesterday, so we prepared specifically for that. It was a tough one, but everything worked with my left hand, and the right hand was there to finish the job with a knockout.

Junior TADAH (FRA) – M85KG – SF

I was under a lot of stress because my parents were here for the semifinal, so I needed a bit of time to settle myself and get into the right mindset. I think I need to improve my starts, I have to begin the fight much faster. In the second round I was ready and more proactive. I could see the distance clearly, my shots were much more precise, and everything felt sharper. But overall, I have to say I had a bad start in this fight. Tomorrow will be better.

Yasar Emrah (TUR) – M90KG – SF

Today, as Turkey, we had our last match and it was also my last semifinal. I earned my place in the final, and it feels incredible. This is our sixth final; we have six athletes in the final as a team and it’s an amazing feeling. It’s hard to put into words. You can probably tell from how I am right now: it’s joyful, it’s emotional, and I’m very proud.

Our goal now, our only hope, is to win all six finals tomorrow, take the gold medals, and dedicate them to Turkey — proudly making our national anthem heard by the whole world and all of Europe.

FLASH DAY 6 FINAL

Natalia Kuczewska (POL) – W51KG – Gold medalist

In the ring I felt great. I felt that I had both a physical and a mental advantage over my opponent. Maybe the first round didn’t show it, but I knew I would win this match in the second and third rounds. Overall, I felt really good in there.

The key is the hard work I put into what I do and what I love, and definitely the support of my coaches. You can’t hide it, we’re a team. We support each other, the girls and the staff, we’re one unit, and that’s what makes us the best

Nilay Yaren Çam (TUR) – W54KG – Gold medalist

I am very happy, I became the European Champion. I reached this point through a tremendous amount of hard work, and now I’m experiencing the joy of seeing years of effort pay off. I dedicate this medal to my entire country, to my mom and dad, to my loved ones, and to everyone who prayed for me. I’m deeply grateful to my coaches — our head coach Muhammet Ali Keskin, Deniz Sayıncıoğlu, Şenel Demir, Yakup Turan, Rıdvan Budak, our physiotherapist Mehmet Duman, and our national team coach Nazım Yiğit — for their dedication and support. Right now, I’m feeling the pride of seeing not only my own hard work, but also the efforts of everyone around me, being rewarded.

Julia Szeremeta (POL) – W57KG – Gold medalist

During the fight, I felt excellent, I truly enjoyed boxing. In the final, I faced an Irish opponent of Polish descent, a girl I know well. I congratulate her on winning the silver medal; she has improved a lot. I’m very happy about the gold and that I managed to repeat my result from two years ago. Last year, I missed the Youth European Championships, but this year I came back and proved that I am still dominant here. And since this was my final year in the youth category, that makes this victory even more special. 

Subah Mamedov (AZE) – M50KG – Gold medalist

This is not just my victory,  it reflects the work of my coaches, the training, and the federation as well. I’m grateful to everyone who supported me over the past year. I’ve become a better boxer, and this result is the proof of that. It was a very tough tournament for me. There were low points, difficult moments, but in the end I always managed to come back. And that’s what makes this victory so meaningful.

Izaya Gaucher (FRA) – M55KG – Gold medalist

First of all in the ring I felt a bit pressure. It was the final, so naturally I felt some tension. But I was prepared for it. I knew I had to do everything to win, just like we had planned. While preparing for this tournament, we had already been fighting in Finland, so I knew his style and we worked on that with my coach. Our plan was simple: attack first and be ready to counter. That’s exactly what I did, and that’s why I won. I’m really glad to be here.

Tetiana Dovhal (UKR) – W60KG – Gold medalist

I had four powerful matches against representatives from Germany, the Netherlands, Ireland, and the Czech Republic in the final. The final match was quite tough, really challenging, but all the matches overall were amazing. I’m grateful to my opponents. I’m also thankful to the organization it’s really well run, and I truly enjoyed the tournament. The European Championship went very smoothly, with great conditions, and I really liked it. I also want to thank my coach, thanks to whom I was able to win this title. We did so much work together, and I was able to claim what was mine, so to speak. Finally, I want to dedicate this victory to our defenders who are protecting our country in such a difficult time. I am grateful to them, and glory to Ukraine!

Kayla Elizabeth Allen (ENG) – W65KG – Gold medalist

The whole tournament has been amazing. Budapest — I’ve loved it here. I’m just so grateful to be in this position. I’ve only been boxing competitively for two and a half years, and to come away with the gold medal means everything. Next goal? Well, the Commonwealth Games, the Olympics — all the big competitions. I want it all, and I’m coming for it. Thank you very much, and good luck to everyone in their future endeavors.

Radoslav Rosenov (BUL) – M60KG – Gold medalist

Today I fought my fourth match, and from the very beginning, we were confident that I would win this title. This victory is really a gift for Zhio Arate, today is his birthday, and I promised him I would win and give him a gift. This competition was also a great experience for me. Everything went very well. We set a record, and I am now the only Bulgarian in Europe with four title wins. I want to sincerely thank my coach Sebe Sebev, the club president Pavel Syarov, the executive director Iliya Syarov, and everyone else from the Ruse Boxing Club. I also want to thank the president of the Bulgarian Federation for the great support, and especially all the Bulgarians who watched me on screen and cheered me on.

Artur Kuzmenko (UKR) – M65KG – Gold medalist 

It was a hard match, but luckily I won. The organization is at the highest level, everything is amazing, beautiful, and wonderful. The opponents were very worthy. Everything is truly top-notch. I want to thank everyone who supported me and everyone who believed in me. I’m very grateful.

Daniel-Ray Stoican (ROU) – M70KG – Gold medalist

I had already watched my opponent’s fight from yesterday, so I knew his game plan,  he’s strong and likes to come forward. I listened to my coaches, and they told me to stay on the back foot, pick the right moments to come in, and keep everything smooth with good footwork. I won the first round 4–1, the second was a draw. When my coaches told me I was leading 4–1, I switched into the mindset that I had to completely take over. I focused on my footwork, on using my brain and my ring IQ at the highest level. I pushed hard and dug deep in that last round, and that’s what got me the win.

Barbara Marcinkowska (POL) – W70KG – Gold medalist

I am the European Youth Champion, and I’m really happy about it. I won all three of my fights unanimously on points, which makes this victory even more special.
I worked hard for this moment, and everything came together perfectly in the ring.
This gold medal means a lot to me, and it motivates me to keep pushing forward.

Sunniva Hofstad (NOR) – W75KG – Gold medalist

This has been an incredibly good tournament for me. I fought a girl in the semifinals whom I had faced before, and I continued to box very well against her. And in the final, I managed to beat Ukraine, a big boxing nation. I kept the momentum, stuck to my own style, and honestly, I enjoyed every moment of it.

Emilia Koterska (POL) – W80 – Gold medalist

I’m the European champion, and it was a very tough tournament. This is my first medal ever at the European Championships, and I’m very happy that it’s gold. I hope it’s only the beginning and that things will get even better. I felt really good in my fight, and I think the key was staying offensive and just boxing in my own style.

Bobby Colin Wallace (ENG) – M80KG – Gold medalist

I feel like this gold is exactly what we came for. We took every bout as it came and executed the plan in each one. We didn’t overlook anyone, just focused, step by step  and in the end we came out successful in the final, which was the goal from the start. I think the key to our success was staying consistent. Staying sharp in every round, in every bout throughout the whole tournament, and never taking our eye off the ball.

Junior Tadah  (FRA) – M85KG – Gold medalist 

Well, in the final I felt good. I had been a bit sick for the last two days of the competition, and in the fight against the Turkish boxer I also hurt my shoulder, but that didn’t stop me from sticking to the strategy that allowed us to win the last fight. At the beginning of the tournament I was very strong, and getting sick before the semifinal took away some of my fitness, but we stayed focused. Through mental strength, determination, and hunger, we still made it.