More than 130 boxers from 19 countries took part in the first World Boxing Cup of the year in Brazil, which started on March 31 and concluded on April 5, 2025. 15 Poles participated - claiming 2 gold, 4 silver and 5 bronze medals - 7 in women's competition and 4 in men's.
24 year old Wiktoria Rogalińska won gold for Poland in the 54 kg category, confidently defeating Yoseline Perez from the USA in the final - and having a fantastic tournament overall. The second gold, in the 75 kg category, was secured for Poland by 21-year-old Barbara Marcinkowska - who defeated Lekeisha Pergoliti from Australia in the final, confirming that she is among the world's best in her weight.
Despite putting up a good fight, Aneta Rygielska (60 kg category) had to admit her rival's superiority in a close fight with Italian Rebecca Nicoli - and the 29-year-old Pole will return home with silver.
Poland's Olympic heroine from Paris, Julia Szeremeta, stormed into the final of the 57 kg category, where she faced the hosts' Jucielen Romeu. Following a very close fight - the Brazilian was crowned a champion, and the talented 21-year-old Pole had to settle for silver.
The only Pole in men's final fights of the tournament, Paweł Brach, also fought a home team boxer for gold, dueling Luis Oliveira in the 60 kg category. The 23-year-old Pole won the first round, the Brazilian was better in the second. Brach then decided to take a little more risk in the third - the opponent knocked him down, and the referee ended the fight in Oliveira's favour.
In the women's 65 kg category, the youngest Polish competitor in the tournament - 19-year-old Kinga Krówka - have also reached the final bout. She faced a very difficult task, because Sacha Hickey, seen by experts as the world's best in this weight now, stood in the other corner. Although the final duel ended with her opponent's clear victory, Krówka's silver is still a great result, which gives a lot of hope for this young boxer's future.
Bronze medals for Poland were won by Natalia Kuczewska in the 51 kg category, Jakub Słomiński (50 kg) and Jakub Straszewski (85 kg). Two more bronzes were guaranteed, as for Oliwia Toborek (75 kg) and Michał Jarliński (75 kg) the tournament started with semi-final bouts - and they won the medals despite losing.
Still, even though several countries were not represented in Brazil - such a medal haul is a huge success for Poland, which had been waiting 32 years for an Olympic medal in boxing, prior to 2024 silver won by Julia Szeremeta in Paris. It is worth adding that the competitors in Brazil fought not only for medals, but also for ranking points, vital for the Olympic qualifiers seeding.
The World Cup in Foz do Iguaçu was the first event of this rank organized by World Boxing, an organization that took over the role of the Olympic qualifiers due to ongoing governance and integrity issues facing the International Boxing Association which had resulted in its suspension - and later, expulsion - from the IOC.
In May, a World Boxing Cup event will be held in Poland's capital, Warsaw - weaved into the annual Feliks Stamm Memorial.
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Source: PAP, IAR, Weszlo.com