GB Boxing’s Dione Burman and Dimeji Shittu earned impressive victories on an opening day of mixed fortunes at the World Boxing Cup Finals that also saw Kelsey Oakley and Zoe Andrews suffer defeat.
Welterweight Dione Burman was the first GB Boxer to secure victory on day one following a dominant unanimous victory over Switzerland’s Anna Jenni.
Burman is competing in her third World Boxing Cup event, winning medals at all three following today’s win.
She has previously won gold at the inaugural Sheffield event in January of this year as well as recently in September, taking bronze in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia.
The 22-year-old will now face Brazil’s Beatriz Soares on Friday for the chance to book her place in the 66kg final.
Burman said: “It feels amazing to get this win. I’ve had a few blips recently so it’s good to get back to winning ways.
“I thought I boxed well but this is just the start. Next time, I’ll box even better.
“I think I need to maintain the same approach for the semi-finals, I just probably need to be more aggressive.”
At light-heavyweight, Dimeji Shittu earned an impressive comeback victory over China’s Rehemandu Halimulati.
The Five Star boxer recovered from losing the opening round as well as a point deduction in the second to secure a place in the semi-finals and medal alongside it.
He will now compete on Friday for a place in the final when he takes on Korea’s Minseong Kim.
Shittu said: “That felt very good. I felt sharp. Felt aggressive. The First round went the other way 3-2. But going back to the corner, I stayed composed. Stayed calm.
“Second round, I went out there. Got it on all five of the judges. Then the last one I knew I’d got this. I’ve been working my fitness for that.
“It’s good to see all the stuff I’m working on in the gym is coming to fruition, so I’m just excited to crack on with the rest of the tournament and I’ve got to stay tunnel vision.”
Elsewhere on day one, England’s Kelsey Oakley featured in the competition’s opening bout as she took on Thailand’s Lalita Chainarong at light-flyweight.
It was a closely fought encounter between the two 50kg boxers, with both landing some eye-catching shots, however on this occasion it was Chainarong who came out on top via a 4:1 split decision.
Oakley’s teammate Zoe Andrews also unfortunately suffered defeat on day one. The Welsh boxer found herself on the end of a unanimous points decision versus Italy’s Olena Savchuk.
Looking ahead to tomorrow’s action (Thursday 28th November), there is seven GB Boxers scheduled to compete.
First up is Ivy-Jane Smith who faces Brazil’s Tatiana Regina Chagas De Jesus at 11:30am.
She will then be followed by light-welterweight Cameron McKay as he goes up against Enkhtur Tegshjargal of Mongolia at 12:30pm
Closing the first session of day two for Great Britain will be Odel Kamara. The light-middleweight at 13:00pm takes on Mongolia’s Misheelt Battumur, who earned a 4:1 victory on day one.
Moving into the evening session and featherweight duo Olivia Holmes and Vivien Parsons step through the ropes.
Holmes takes on Holland’s Gabrielle Weerheim at 18:15pm whilst Parsons meets Italy’s Federica Zanellato at 18:45pm.
Then, we move into men’s flyweight action to conclude proceedings for Great Britain as Ellis Trowbridge and Scott Richards will kick proceedings off versus Italy’s Filippo Seca and Panama’s Luis Pachay at 19:15pm and 19:30pm respectively.
