Amateur boxer Hepseba Angel’s hopes of punching her ticket to the quarterfinals of the Strandja 73rd Boxing Tournament were knocked down Tuesday, 22 Feb., courtesy of Russia’s Ivanova Anna.
Angel, 20, hit the canvas in the first round following a body shot by Anna during their 81kg encounter in Sofia, Bulgaria.
The Caymanian boxer, who holds a 3-2 record following her loss, has been training in Ireland for the past several months alongside Cayman Islands Boxing Association’s development manager Liam Brereton.
Brereton told the Cayman Compass that his fighter was “winning” but the “Russian just [got] lucky with a liver punch”.
In a press release issued by the Cayman Islands Boxing Association, Angel stated that she isn’t discouraged by the results.
“I learned a lot from this tournament,” she said. “…This experience has strengthened my mental fortitude and I am now one step closer to reaching my full potential.”
Angel has since returned to Ireland to resume her training. She along with teammate Brandy Barnes are hoping to qualify for the upcoming Commonwealth Games.
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