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03/11/2007

XIV AIBA World Championship Semi Finals

64kg Bradley Saunders (ENG) lost to Gennady Kovalev (RUS) 8:16

Friday afternoon, 2nd November, 2007, 64 kg, 20 yr old, South Durham ABC, light welterweight, Brad Saunders, eventually failed, after 5 contests, 20 rounds and four wins, all in 11 days, to make it to the final of the XIV AIBA World Championships, which are being staged at The University of Illinois at Chicago.

Saunders was out pointed by, Gennady Kovalev, of Russia, 8 - 16, so Brad has to settle for a bronze medal and 2008 Beijing Olympic qualification. All in all this has been a great few days for "Buzzing" Brad Saunders, the Durham Dynamo, as he has now most definitely established himself on world amateur boxing's top table.

Even though this contest was for a place in the finals of the biggest boxing world championships ever staged, nearly 600 boxers from 120 countries, this bout had that end of term feel about it. Kovalev used his experience and southpaw stance to create a canvas moat between himself and Saunders, a moat "Buzzing" Brad could not ford.

Kovalev was determined not to let the tough, strong, Durham boxer, get into any sort of rhythm and for two rounds that was the case. Scores of 1 - 4 at the end of the 1st round and 1-8 at the end of the 2nd round demonstrated that the Russian was strolling to victory, in a lacklustre affair.

Saunders had other ideas. Brad managed to get his feet closer to the Russian and fire off volleys that made Kovalev work, now the Russian was beginning to feel the strength and power Saunders carries. 5 - 13 at the end of the 3rd round did not reflect that Saunders was now making the Russian work.

A last round, where the Durham Dynamo was continuing to apply pressure on Kovalev, saw a final score of 8 - 16, but it was obvious to all that Saunders had begun to approach coming to terms with the difficult style and experience of his Russian opponent. The future is bright, the future is Saunders.

Brad Saunders "Awkward southpaw, I'm learning, the last two rounds were better than the first two rounds. I'll be back, bigger and better"

Terry Edwards, Head Coach GB Boxing, "Good experience, Brad's a quick learner"

54kg Joe Murray (ENG) lost to Enkhbat Badar-Uugan (MGL) 11:20

Moss Side ABC, Manchester bantamweight, Joe Murray boxed Mongolian Enkhbat for a place in tomorrow's final. Joe had to contend ith an opponent who had six gears. All of them fast. Five of them reverse gears. When the Mongolian saw that Murray wished to press the action Badar-Uugan decided to use three of his reverse gears, making life difficult for the Mancunian as when Joe eased in the chase the Mongolian stepped in with a scoring punch.

Let's be clear Badar-Uugan won this contest, but, young Murray did not appear to be getting full value for clear single shots. That is they were not showing up on the open scoring screen. 2:7 at the end of the second round became 6:10 at the end of the third. However, Murray's continued pursuit of the Mongolian was having an effect on the Mongolian's stamina. Murray came close to equalling the scores in round three. But the effort was beginning to have it's effect on Joe. A big right hand caught and shook Joe. A follow up flurry of punches lead to Murray receiving a standing eight count and enabled the Mongolian to finish the round four clear. In the last round the Mongolian was able to keep control of his lead to run out a 20:11 winner.

Once again the Mongolian was a fair and clear winner but the final score did not reflect the number of punches landed by both boxers, nor should the margin of victory have been scored this wide.

Murray's was a spirited, determined performance, he has impressed all who have had the pleasure of watching him perform on the World's most difficult boxing stage.

Joe Murray "He deserved it. I got off to a slow start. Hope he wins it. I'll get him back in the Olympics."

Terry Edwards was unable to comment after the bout as he was standing in the blue corner looking after Frankie Gavin who was already in the ring. That's how efficient the organisation has been at the XIV AIBA World Championships.

60kg Frankie Gavin (ENG) beat Alexey Tishchenko (RUS) 19:10

The pedigree of Frankie's opponent needs no hype. He is the undisputed, no argument, world number 1 lightweight boxer and has been so for the last three years. His bio reads: 57kg Olympic Champion in Athens (Greece, 2004). 60kg World Champion (China, 2005). 60kg European Champion (Bulgaria, 2006). In fact Tishchenko has not lost a bout at any weight since 2003, he lost tonight!

Frankie Gavin Interview

Commonwealth Lightweight Champion, Frankie Gavin, Hall Green ABC, Yardley, Birmingham was frankly too good for undisputed world number 1, Russia's Alexey Tishchenko. Frank is a known thinker in the ring as well as being a shrewd craftsman. A first round of cat and mouse between two top quality fighters saw the Russian end the round at 1:3. Tishchenko might have edged the first round by two points but it was clear that Frank was bigger and stronger than the Russian and whereas by the end of the round Frank could read the Russian, Tishchenko could not read Gavin. Frank's brain, class and technique took him to a clear 10:4 lead at the end of the second round. From then on there was only going to be one winner. Frank picked the Russian to pieces off front and back foot. Catching him with long, straight, hard left hands thrown from his southpaw stance.

Tishchenko tried and tried, as all great champions do and will, but Gavin was conducting proceedings to increase his lead to 15:8 at the end of the third and easily run out as a 19:10 winner. Tishchenko had no answer to Frank's left hand, which in turn lead to the Russian being caught by right jabs, right uppercuts and right hooks.

If you look at the score it is true to say that on the night, this night, "Fun-Time" Frankie was twice as good as the acknowledged world's best lightweight.

Frank now is guaranteed of at least a silver medal. Tomorrow, in the finals, Gavin boxes old rival, who he defeated when the last met, Italy's Domenico Valentino (scheduled for approximately 3pm in Chicago).

Frankie Gavin "All week I have said I'll beat the Russian. Tonight is the best feeling I've ever had in boxing. But my feet are on the ground. I've got a hard contest tomorrow and I'm going to prepare for it now. I prepare the same way for every contest. I never under or over-estimate an opponent. Terry and our tactics have been right all week. Terry has been in my corner all the way. I want to be his and England's first World Champion. I need to say thank you to all at Hall Green. My club coaches Tom Chaney and Steve McHale, Terry, Dave and Nigel and again UK Sport lottery funding. Without that support I wouldn't have had the preparation. Without the preparation I wouldn't have got the result. I have to go now to prepare for tomorrow."

Terry Edwards "I told you so. He's always been the real thing. Tonight he proved what we always knew. He can be the number one man."

Friday 2nd November

54kg Joe Murray (ENG) lost to Enkhbat Badar-Uugan (MGL) 11:20

60kg Frankie Gavin (ENG) beat Alexey Tishchenko (RUS) 19:10

64kg Bradley Saunders (ENG) lost to Gennady Kovalev (RUS) 8:16

Finals Saturday 3rd November

60kg Frankie Gavin (ENG) v Domenico Valentino (ITA)

Live scoring is available on www.aiba.org

Full bout reports for all of the boxers will be available on the ABAE website on a daily basis.

Please keep the messages of support coming to the team via laura.ross@abae.org.uk they are much appreciated.

The Worlds Day One (Tuesday 23rd October)

The Worlds Day Two (Wednesday 24th October)