Rafayel Hovhannisyan (ARM) vs. Noa Hadjit (BEL) World Olympic Qualifiers 2024 (80kg)

between for a contest between boxers from Belgium and Armenia so 19-year-old Noah hait reigning Belgium national champion making his way to the ring against 22-year-old Raphael havian comes in as the under 22 European bronze medalist up at 86 kilg in the European Cup in budva mon gr took the outstanding Alexi alur to keep him from the final there's confirmation the unanimous Point decision victory over the man from Canada in the round of 64 for rapael henan [Applause] [Applause] we're in the 80 kilogram division a mammoth as a Southpole left L from the box of wearing red that is Noah hait but a mammoth 61 boxes make up this [Applause] bracket I'm not quite sure whether that's the fashion statement tying his laces in that regard but whoever did it didn't do it very effectively because the heard the referee Mr Wade Peterson of Canada saying that if the laces are touching the canvas then the laces are too long they're too low so that adjustment made and the action resumes oh terrific right hand from henan against the Southpaw wearing red the 19-year-old Noah haet the reigning Belgian national champion the youth championships World youth championships in Spain two years ago ha came away with a bronze medal incredibly talented operator he's the Belgian national champion coached by his father tattooed figure where ring blue lands another right hand and the right hand a traditional antidote to the Southpaw stance oh that's a cracking South for left from hait and another one so both boxers checking the chin of their opponent with potent back hands but look at havan comes storming back and have success of his own TD exchanges in the first minutes of this opening round what an exchange beautiful beautiful work there from both Fighters both staying in the pocket both Landing Big Shots my goodness this is a hard-hitting affair so far nice movement from hait to weave away from the onslaught from havan but there he's picked off by a left jab faces of both boxers rened because they have been hit flush by some heavy punches particularly from the backand of their opponent as I was saying 61 boxers make up the 80 kgam bracket not quite sure of the nomenclature for this Olympic qualification tournament it hasn't been declared I would say that this is light heavyweights hajet lands with a right hand then a potent left cross out of that southp stance looking for a flashy right uppercut but it was inaccurate henan with 61 boxers taking part only three boxers received Buys in the round of 64 so both of these men in their second contest of this Olympic qualification bid that's why perhaps they found the arranged so terrifically in the opening stages good right hand to the the body a few moments ago from havan isan hajet just needs to be careful though he doesn't get caught with his glove slow nice right hand to the body from aanan he's just leaving his he's just leaving himself open after he throws a shot chin a little bit up in the air from H from hait but he inaccurate he went in search of that right hand once again hait digging away to the body terrific opening round and a left hand landed after the Bell Haj telling his opponent hold that as the bell sounded and there's a Nick beneath the right eye of havan what a round Raphael henan taking it for all five scoring judges but he will know havan that he has been in a fight because this man had his moments just not enough of them to convince any of theud judges that he won the round Fair reflection of what took place during a torrid first three minutes yeah it was a it was really good really good opening three minutes there from both Fighters oh both throwing Big Shots both both having success a will know that he's he's down from this last from this last last round he'll definitely be coming out swinging see how this unfolds moving to the second round then in the closing stages of the first as both boxes Landing immediately while the sound of the Bell was still reverberating around the ewor arena a left hand not too far away from hait he's the longer boxer good right hand to the body landed by havan so can hait let his assets and qualities of length and range work in his favor and he's doing so out of that Southpole stance with left crosses and right hooks in start contrast havan muscular operator look at the man's traps almost coming out of his ears and so he'll be looking to get inside to short and mid-range and again one of the beautiful things about this sport it's a weight making sport but how boxes make the weight can be entirely different these two manners pinan has a two shot success couldn't be in Greater contrast from a stature point of view hait long angular lean tremendous length on his levers where's havan broad backed strong shoulders and he will look to get inside and weak Havoc with heavy heavy artillery there's a good right hand to the body but it's counted by two left crosses upstairs from the southp in red he's pushed backwards because of his long limbs can sometimes have a look that that's a little bit ungainly remember he's only 19 years of age hope Hilt still perhaps not fully developed as a left right combination crashes home for havian bit of a callow look about his physique could well end up as a 92 kogam boxer but here he is competing before he's taken down and an MMA move to the canvas after that tangle with [Applause] henan I really like the way oh good right hand from havan after from havan and after he made hajet Miss and hajet being backed up once again no dimming of the desire from the Belgian teenager but when he's pushed backwards and because his arms are so long it can take them a while to unfold and in the meantime panan is making hay with clusters of punches havan doing really well closing the distance and getting into range of those long punches of hajet so this is where hait wants to be can he establish these long spearing shots there he wasn't too far away with the left cross but you see as he was trying to bring it back in the millisecond that that took havan had sprung forward on quick to itch fibers and was in mid-range and looking to help himself to punches from both flanks slapping right hand landed by the southp in [Applause] red I think just the the man strength of havan is just playing a but there's a right left combination from hajet and this man has got a terrifically competitive Spirit he lost the first round unanimously but he was in there competing and that injury to the right eye beneath the right eye worsening in that second round so hait taking the second round for the judge number two from Fiji Mr seru whippi but Rafael henan taking round the second on a 4-1 split to lead 20 points to 18 for four of the five judges but that is Testament to to this man's character because there's no quit and no diminishing of his desire he's still in there competing havan isan getting the better of the second three minute stands up yeah haets a real real talent 19 years old holding his own in there there's going to be a lot to come from him if he if he loses even if he loses this this fight today we're going to see a lot from this kid in the future great with his punching range really knows how how to land a land a straight [Applause] shot to the third and final round we go then Noah hait of Belgium 2022 World youth bronze medalist at 75 Kg competing here at 80 kg has success with a backhand but so too did havan and havan just looking to impose his physicality and Rough House tactic again ha against hait as he looked to ragd doll him towards the neutral corner so hait trailing 20 points to 18 for four of the five judges he takes a right hand behind his left glove from havan and look at how disciplined he's being with that right glove protecting that right eye and a right uppercut catches haet as he was throwing and it sends him down to the canvas the referee picking up the mandatory eight count hajet showing experience Beyond his 19 years holding up his hands to indicate to the referee that he's okay and he steps right back into the mix in a bid to secure his own get back I was saying in the first round he just had just needs to be careful when he's throwing shots he leaves himself a little bit open Aman with a flashing right uppercut that wasn't too far away remember sending your opponent to the canvas or forcing an eight count won't necessarily result in a 108 round as is the convention in professional boxing so hait still in this but trailing 20 points to 18 for four of the five judges he needs a massive Final Round And of course there's always the option of getting your opponent out of there inside the distance here's a good St P left from haet because now havan in bout management mode you see him run off the line as he landed that right hand remaining Beyond punching range intelligently stepping back into range now just so he doesn't fall on the wrong side of the referee or judges and give the impression that he's running roundhouse Right Hook was a shot that landed on the unprotected chin of hait but this is about management being employed now by havan because remember that right eye injury that was just a Nick at the end of the first round was a bigger Nick and combined with swelling at the end of round number two and if he does progress remember he'll be in the ring tomorrow excuse me he'll be in the ring in two days time so that will give the corner time to work on that injury the medical team but they won't want it to get any worse hessan just doing really well here just letting the clock tick down tight guard throwing the odd shot out hajet continuing to keep his shape nicely and again when he grows into his body into that physique one can see him operating at a higher weight class remember David naika from New Zealand Commonwealth game successes came down at 81 his Olympic bronze that was in 2014 as Olympic Bronze in Tokyo came at 92 the heavyweight Division and I sense that's what Noah hait is going to metamorphose and mature into But Here and Now running to Raphael henan under 22 European Championship bronze medalist up at 86 kg who has produced a very good boxing display for my money able to eliminate and negate the greater range and reach of Noah hait with his own raiding attacks Noah hait a very accomplished talented teenager we're sure to see him again in years to come one suspects his quest run Olympic quota place here in Italy will come to an end at the round of 32 stage and the winner by decision the blue and there is confirmation a salute to the crowd from Raphael hovanesian the under 22 European Championship bronze medalist from last year progresses through to the round of 16 where Ireland's Kalin Cassidy awaits on what a battle that promises to be between two explosive athletic fighters who possess plenty of pop on their punches that's scheduled for the afternoon session on the 10th of March but despite picking up that eye injury at the end of the first a very good display from R Rafael havan to defeat The Talented teenager Noah hajet from Belgium yeah hav havan really used his experience there and there you see the the KN the knockdown there to hait I I really like hait style I I feel like he's got a lot a lot to come in the future he's tall he's long uses his punches well great punch for RI we're definitely going to see a lot from him in the future he's got a lot to be proud [Applause] ofan and Cassidy what a fight that's going to be