Current World Elite champion Erislandy Savon had to get off the floor to beat Dublin heavyweight Kiril Afanasev, pictured, in the Chemistry Cup heavyweight final in Halle, Germany this afternoon.
The Irish Elite champion floored the Olympic bronze medallist in the first round but the shaken Cuban showed his experience to take rounds two and three and earn a 4-1 split decision against the Dubliner who put in a massive shift in the gold medal match at the 45th edition of the tournament.
Savon is a nephew of legendary three-time Olympic champion Felix Savon.
Afanasev will be bringing home silver for Halle. Irish captain Joe Ward, Conor Quinn, Kieran Molloy and George Bates claimed four bronze.
Ward was beaten on a 3-2 split decision in Friday’s semi-final with Cuba’s current Olympic and World heavyweight champion Julio La Cruz who was on a floor from a right hook from the Westmeath southpaw and took a count in the first round with Ward also winning the second frame.
La Cruz was sensationally KO’d in the first round by Khalil Coe of the USA in today’s 81kg decider.
“He (La Cruz) walked straight into a right hand,” said Ward who was at ringside for the final.
Meanwhile, Galway welter Molloy claimed his first Irish Elite belt at Dublin’s National in February and asked some serious questions of Cuba’s 2017 World Elite finalist and 2012 Olympic champion Iglesias Sotolongo in Halle on Friday.
“I feel it was a great learning curve to step in with the best welterweight in the world and give him all he wanted, said Molloy who lost out on a unanimous decision.
“I see myself coming on a lot from this fight and I’ll definitely not fear anyone in the world now that I know where I stand. I’m 19, by the time I’m 21 I believe that I will be the number 1 in the world.”
The squad are due to arrive home at 7.40pm tomorrow night via Dublin Airport (Terminal 1).
45th Men’s Chemistry Cup Halle, Germany June 19/24
June 20th
Last 16
64kg Wayne Kelly (Ireland) beat Artur Badalian (Ukraine) 5-0
75kg Michael Nevin (Ireland) lost to Vikas Krishan (India) 0-5
60kg George Bates (Ireland) beat Artur Bril (Germany) 4-1
69kg Kieran Molloy (Ireland) beat Richard Meinecke (Germany) 5-0
56kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) beat Omar El Hag (Germany) 4-1
Q/Final
52kg Conor Quinn (Ireland) beat Umar Bajwa (Germany) 5-0
June 21st
Q/Finals
56kg Kurt Walker (Ireland) lost to Vasilii Vetkin (Russia) 1-4
60kg George Bates (Ireland) beat Lucas Bandi (Canada) 4-1
64kg Wayne Kelly (Ireland) lost to Kastriot Sopa (Germany) 2-3
69kg Kieran Molloy (Ireland) beat Thomas Zold (Slovakia) 5-0
81kg Joe Ward (Ireland) beat Pavil Silygan (Russia) 4-1
91kg Kiril Afanasev (Ireland) beat Lucian Kohne (Germany) 5-0
91kg+ Dean Gardiner (Ireland) lost to Angel Gomez-Larduet (Cuba) 0-5
June 22
S/Final
52kg Conor Quinn (Ireland) lost to Salanki Gaurov (India) 0-5
60kg George Bates (Ireland) lost to Jorge Estrada-Alvarez (Cuba) 0-5
69kg Kieran Molloy (Ireland) lost to Iglesias Sotolongo (Cuba) 0-5
81kg Joe Ward (Ireland) lost to Julio La Cruz (Cuba) 2-3
91kg Kiril Afanasev (Ireland) beat David Michalek (Slovakia) W/O
June 23
Final
91kg Kiril Afanasev (Ireland) lost to Erislandy Savon (Cuba) 1-4
Irish Squad
52kg Conor Quinn (Clonard) (Bronze)
56kg Kurt Walker (Canal)
60kg George Bates (St Marys) (Bronze)
64kg Wayne Kelly (Portlaoise)
69kg Kieran Molloy (Oughterard) (Bronze)
75kg Michael Nevin (Portlaoise)
81kg Joe Ward (Sparticus) (Bronze)
91kg Kiril Afanasev (Smithfield) (Silver)
91+kg Dean Gardiner (Clonmel)
Head coach: Zaur Antia
Coahes: Michael Carruth, Philip Keogh, Paul Thompson
Physio: Kevin Boyd