Men’s World Championships 2021, day three – Tudsbury brushes aside Zak

Conner Tudsbury successfully negotiated his opening contest at the AIBA Men’s World Championships 2021 with a unanimous points decision victory over Israel’s Yan Zak.

As England’s only representative in action on day three in Belgrade, the Moss Side Fire Station boxer won all three rounds in convincing style to book a Sunday afternoon meeting with Slovakia’s Matus Strnisko, who was a 3-2 split decision winner over Mexico’s Rogelio Romero.

The 21-year-old, boxing at cruiserweight (Under 86kg), boxed a naturally bigger man who had previously boxed at heavyweight and both were making their debuts in this tournament.

But Tudsbury superior speed and manoeuvrability meant he frequently beat his opponent to the punch and was able to avoid a lot of what was thrown at him.

The Manchester man, one of nine GB boxers involved in the tournament, started on the front foot and never surrendered that position, using a good variety of punches to score to both head and body.

While Zak occasionally landed, his efforts were too few and far between, meaning all five judges ruled each of the three rounds in Tudsbury’s favour by a margin of 30-27.

In action for England tomorrow are Niall Farrell, who takes on Samuel Kistohurry of France at featherweight (Under 57kg), and Delicious Orie, who faces Luis Gomez Meneses of Mexico at super-heavyweight (Over 93kg), both during the afternoon session.