Boxing: Cavallaro, Sorrentino and Testa fly into the semi-finals and win passes to Paris 2024

The European Games in Krakow 2023 produced the first three Olympic quota berths for Italian boxing for Paris 2024. Salvatore Cavallaro is the first boxer from Italia Team to secure a place at the French Olympic Games. The Italian, competing at the European Games in Krakow 2023, went through to the semi-finals of the 80kg class thanks to his triumph over Dutchman Gradus Kraus (5-0), obtaining one of the four individual Olympic passes up for grabs in his weight category in the European Olympic Committees’ event in Poland and bringing men’s boxing back to the Games after a hiatus in Tokyo 2020.

On Friday, the Sicilian boxer will return to the ring to compete for a place in the final, a goal already achieved in the 2019 edition, held in Minsk, where he won silver. The second Italian triumph came from Giordana Sorrentino, who overcame the Serbian Nina Radovanovic (WP 4:1) making it to the 50kg semi-final and gaining an Olympic pass to Paris. Then it was the turn of Irma Testa who will go to her third Olympics, having beaten Spain’s Jenifer Fernandez Romero decisively (5-0) in the quarter- finals of the 57kg category.

Earlier, Federico Emilio Serra (51kg) beat the Hungarian Attila Bernarth in the quarter-finals with a unanimous 5-0 verdict. Aziz Abbes Mouhiidine (92kg) also reached the semi-finals, after defeating Turkey’s Berat Acar (5-0). On Friday, it will be their turn to try to secure a quota place for Paris. Gianluigi Malanga (63.5kg) faced Irish Dean Clancy but exited the bout defeated 0-5. Also defeated were Sirine Charaabi in the 54kg quarter-finals at the hands of Turkey’s Hatice Akbas (WP 4:1) and Melissa Gemini (WP 4:0), who was beaten by France’s Davina-Myrha Michel.