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Strandja int'l boxing tournament kicks off in Bulgaria

Xinhua, February 24, 2015 Adjust font size:

The 66th edition of "Strandja", the oldest international boxing tournament in Europe, kicked off here in the Universiada hall on Tuesday.

The event, which brings together 250 men's and women's boxers from 37 nations, a record in its history, is "essentially a mini world championships," the International Boxing Association (AIBA) wrote on its website.

China's three-time AIBA women's world champion and London 2012 Olympic Games silver medalist Ren Cancan returns to the world of boxing in this tournament, AIBA said.

Kazakhstan's Nazym Kyzaybay, Bulgaria's Stanimira Petrova and Panama's new sensation Atheyna Bylon all won gold medals at the 8th AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships in Jeju, South Korea last November, and following those excellent performances they will be in action in Sofia, AIBA added.

"The tournament is important, because we are in a pre-Olympics year, there is generational replacement, and all countries want to see the condition and preparation of their athletes and teams," Krassimir Ininski, President of the Bulgarian Boxing Federation, told Xinhua.

"Olympic and world champions came here, and I think that it will be a very challenging and strong tournament, so there are interesting bouts ahead," Ininski said.

The semifinals will be on Friday and the finals are scheduled for Saturday afternoon. Endi