European U-22 Championships postponed

The European Under-22 Championships have been postponed.

The underage continental competition was due to take place in March but has been put back due to the current pandemic.

The tournament will take place in Italy at a later date yet to be confirmed.

The EBU president confirmed as much this week via the following statement:

With the safety and well-being of all our members in mind, as well as taking into account the input of the Italian Boxing Federation, I would like to inform you that EUBC Executive Committee has taken a decision to postpone the 2021 EUBC U22 European Boxing Championships, which was
initially scheduled for March to May/June 2021.

Moreover, please also be informed that following the proposal of EUBC Competition Commission, EUBC Executive Committee also approved the participation of boxers born in 1998 to the abovementioned Championships.

In any case, EUBC will monitor COVID-19 situation in Italy and Europe and will inform you about the exact dates of the U22 European Boxing Championships as soon as possible.

We appreciate your understanding and we are looking forward to meeting you in Italy. We hope that all of you stay healthy!

Meanwhile boxing has joined the program for the 2023 European Games in Kraków-Małopolska.

Boxing featured at the last two European Games in Baku, Azerbaijan in 2015 and Minsk, Belarus in 2019 and along with shooting has been confirmed as the seventh and eighth sports to sign up for the 2023 Games.

European Boxing Confederation (EUBC) President Franco Falcinelli is delighted that the sport’s involvement in the European Games is continuing in Poland.

“The EUBC is particularly pleased to participate with the best athletes from its 50 National Federations at the third European Games Kraków-Małopolska 2023, he said.

“Since Baku 2015, we have been fervent supporters of this long-awaited competition, which has given continental Olympic sports an extraordinary message of innovation, capacity and organisational sustainability.”

Katie Taylor and Michael O’Reilly won double gold at the 2015 Games in Baku, and Brendan Irvine (silver) and Sean McComb (bronze) also finished in podium positions.

Rio 2016 and Tokyo Olympian Irvine was edged out on a split decision by Russia’s Bator Sagaluyev in the light-fly final six years ago.

Elsewhere, Kurt Walker (gold), Kellie Harrington (silver), Michaela Walsh (silver), Michael Nevin (bronze), Grainne Walsh (bronze) and Regan Buckley (bronze) claimed medals at the 2019 edition of the Games in Minsk which was doubling up as the Men’s European Championships.