GB Boxers return from Lithuania with six medals, including two golds

BOXERS from Great Britain have returned from this year’s Socikas in Lithuania with six medals, including two golds for England’s Kiaran MacDonald and Wales’ Taylor Bevan.

Patrick Brown settled for silver whilst Reese Lynch of Scotland, Harris Akbar and Ramtin Musah earned bronze to complete the medal haul.

Flyweight MacDonald got finals day in Kaunas off to a flying start when, in a fiercely contested bout, he did enough to get the better of Ukraine’s Dmytro Zamotayev via split decision (3:2) to be crowned flyweight champion.

It was the 26-year-old’s second bout in as many days having beaten Poland’s Jakub Slominiski via split decision (3:2) to secure his place in the final.

After winning his first two bouts, firstly over teammate Sam Hickey and then Romania’s Paul Aradoaie, Bevan was due to take on Nikita Nystedt of Finland however was handed the light-heavyweight gold after the Finnish boxer withdrew from the contest.

The other boxer in action on finals day was heavyweight, Patrick Brown.

Brown was stepping into the ring for the third time in three days, this time against Arkadii Karstan of Ukraine, having already earned victories against the host nation’s Darius Vaisnorovic and Serhii Horskov of Ukraine.

It was another close fought contest, however on this occasion it was Karstan who was handed the decision by the judges via split decision (4:1), meaning Brown had to settle for silver.

Three bronze medals were earned by GB Boxers in Lithuania, two were secured by England’s Harris Akbar and Ramtin Musah in the light-middleweight and light-heavyweight contests, with both men winning their opening bouts before losing in their respective semi-finals to Cesary Znamiec and Oleksandr Khyzhniak.

The third boxer to claim bronze was Scotland’s Reese Lynch who was appearing for the first time at the semi-final stages, was beaten by Danyil Zamorylo.

The other members of the team who boxed in Kaunas were Wales’ Garan Croft and Scotland’s Sam Hickey who were both beaten prior to the medal stages.

Kerry Davis and Delicious Orie were also due to compete at this year’s Socikas tournament, however due to a lack of opponents and a minor injury respectively, neither boxer competed.