East vs West 13 – 6th July 2024

On the scorching evening of July 6, 2024, 30 athletes compete on the now well-known stage of Istanbul. East vs West 13 begins.

The first match we see is the Latvian Toms Rozits against the American Artem Taranenko with the left arm. Toms had shown himself very confident before the match, confidence well placed as he won 3-0 with ease.

From 85kg we go down to 65kg for Olga Terpelova (RU) and Carolina Petterson (SE). Despite a score of 3-0 for Carolina, the match was much more competitive than the previous one, sometimes a number isn’t everything!

We return to the men’s category for the return of Zurab Tavberidze (GE) and his challenger Petro Maharint (UKR), in this match at 105kg. As in the previous matches, the result will be 3-0, this time very clear for Petro Maharint.

We went down to 85kg again, this time for the right-handed challenge between Vladimir Maiorov (DE) and Adam Wawrzynski (US). The score of the match will be…yes! You guessed it, 3-0 for Vladimir Maiorov, who dictates the pace of the match and never loses control.

We see for the first time these two athletes, Ibrahim Sagov (RU) and Chance Shaw (US) at the weight of 115kg, the first up from the 105kg category, the second down from the super heavyweight category. Ibrahim will take the victory, thanks to three quick pull for a 3.0 score.

There have been five matches fought so far, but the result seems not to differ from the clear victory in each of them, but the evening is still long…

The second third of the event sees the first title match, Ayane Takenaka (JP), already champion at 55kg, moves up the category to face Dimitrina Petrova (BG) at 60kg. Ayane proves dominant by winning the first two rounds convincingly, and she appears as the superior athlete in the following ones too, which however she will lose due to fouls considered by many to be unfair. Finally Dimitrina will also manage to win the last two rounds for a final score of 4-2, which many consider not to reflect the reality of the facts. Following this match the rules regarding fouls will be changed, the result therefore seems to still be suspended and a possible rematch is expected.

We change arms for the first defense of the 95kg left world title for Artem Taynov (RU) against Georgian Betkili Oniani. Considered by many to be the underdog, Betkili amazed the public, clearly winning the first rounds and almost leaving room for Artem to then catch up and show his superiority. This demonstration backfired in the fourth round, where Artem managed to secure the victory, but Betkili immediately took control of the situation and concluded with a 4-1 that left no doubts.

Barbora Bajciova (SK), the current female athlete at the top of the world, is challenged by the veteran Egle Vaitukte (LT), who calls into question her supremacy. However, there will be no discussions on the result, Barbora stands with an enormous gap, a 4-0 that leaves doubts only about who will ever be able to face such a champion.

Moldovan surgeon Daniel Procopciuc, already champion at 75kg, wants to extend his dominance in this new 77kg category. In opposition to him we find Bozhidar Simeonov (BG), who already last year was able to shatter Procopciuc’s dreams. This time though things will be different, Daniel takes the title in every round, 4-0 for the crown at 77kg left.

Krasimir Kostadinov (BG) beat every athlete under 105kg at least once; all he’s missing is Todd Hutchins (US), will we see revenge take place? Unfortunately for Krasimir, the American athlete reconfirms himself as his nemesis, winning this time too in a 3-0 in full control.

Irakli Zirakashvili (GE) right-handed world champion of 95kg moves up the category to seek new challenges, Evgeny Prudnik (UKR) wants to show the reason for the existence of weight categories to the Georgian athlete. To the huge surprise of many, despite the weight difference, Irakli will dominate the three rounds needed for victory in quick succession. 3-0 Zirakashvili.

We move up to the super heavyweight category, for the return of Travis Bagent (US) after almost a decade of absence, against the rising star Sergey Kalinichenko (UKR).

Has he really risen to the level of sport as Sergey claims? Or does an old champion still have what it takes to establish himself at the top of the world? We don’t pretend to answer this question in general, but in this specific case Kalinichenko wins a landslide victory, 3-0.

For the 105kg world title for the right-hander Oleg Petrenko (UKR) and David Dadikian (AM), both rapidly rising and both returning from notable victories, are ready to clash without reservations. David is in his first defense of the title, won months earlier by Todd Hutchins. However, it will be a title that will change hands again this evening, after the impressive performance of Oleg, who despite a first round initially in favor of David, will be able to turn the situation around and close the match at 4-0.

We are at the penultimate match, but perhaps the most awaited by everyone. Davit Samushia (GE) today reached his ninth title defense. Nine times his opponents tried to undermine him, and nine times he reconfirmed himself as the undisputed champion of the 85kg right-handed category. His challenger is no less, the multiple champion Sasho Andreev (BG), former champion at 95kg, current king of 90kg, who for the first time drops to 85kg trying to wrest a new title from Davit’s hands.

The match initially goes in Sasho’s favor, but Davit, the miracle man, will once again find a hidden strength, and this time too he will come back thanks to his incredible resistance. Davit Samushia reconfirms himself as the undisputed champion at 85kg, as always giving the spectators a hard-fought match until the end, which is reflected in the final score of 4-2.

To conclude the evening we have the Russian giant Vitaly Laletin against Artyom Morozov (KZ), world champion in the left arm, who also tries to climb the ranking with his right. Usually matches for the right arm are more awaited by the public, but probably in this case it is on the left that they would have liked to see these two athletes challenge each other.Vitaly wins in absolute control every round, for a 3-0 which leaves us wondering if the left ranking which sees the Russian in second place and Artyom in first really reflects their strength.

Martino Doni
Author

Martino Doni

SBFI Athlete; Medical Student; Personal trainer; Training Methodologist

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