It is definitely not the best time to go to Olympic boxing world championships. Eleven weeks after the tournament in Tokyo, the experiences and injuries under the sign of the rings have only just subsided, and another highlight of the season is on the men’s agenda. It will be an even bigger selection process: More than 500 starters from 86 nations will apply for medals in 13 weight classes in the two rings of the Štark Arena in Belgrade by next Saturday. For Kevin Boakye-Schumann, however, this challenge of the year comes at just the right time: the 23-year-old from Hamburg has finally found an opportunity to pursue his international ambitions.
The ambitious middleweight division is one of the hopes of the German Boxing Association (DBV), which had been robbed of its Olympic chance. Because when the task force of the International Olympic Committee decided to significantly reduce the qualification paths for Tokyo, the up-and-coming talents of all nations were hit particularly hard: They did not (yet) have the standing in the world rankings that was required for the pre-selection. So Boakye-Schumann had to keep himself half harmed in June with a silver medal at the U-22 EM. But that was the only way to really kindle his hunger for international success.
“It doesn't matter who comes,” he said briskly, “at the end of the day I want to be world champion. I have to beat everyone. ”The courageous announcement was his reply to the question of what he thought of Seyedshahin Mousavi - the competitor from Iran who will be his opponent in the round of 16 in the class up to 75 kilograms this Monday. The lithe athlete with the captivating eye and that certain punch is still two victories away from the medal ranks.
Nevertheless, he is already one of the DBV athletes with the best prospects for the new Olympic cycle up to Paris 2024. In addition to boxing qualities, that has a lot to do with a special “mindset”.
Disciplined and grown up like hardly any other youngster, the Hamburg-based man with German-African roots works on his deficits in excruciatingly long video analyzes.
This applies to defeats as well as to victories.
“Just because my arm went up in the end doesn't mean that I'm satisfied with my performance.” In this style, Boakye-Schumann matured into a “model athlete” between his parent club TH Eilbeck and the Olympic base in Schwerin it at the DBV.
This is all the more true since the youngster started a distance learning course in sports management at the University of Wismar last autumn.
Dispelling general doubts about boxing
Even if he imposes a truly sporty time management on himself.
But how can he finally be quoted on the DBV homepage: “You can't just chill in life, you also have to do something for your future.” For the future of your sport in Germany, success in Belgrade would be the best to be able to let the somewhat blanket doubts about him fade away for the time being.
He could possibly also vote the sports committee in the Federal Ministry of the Interior more benevolent when a decision is made there on the amount of new funding.
The last victory at a World Cup tournament (Jack Culcay-Keth in Milan) is now twelve years ago;
the last medal (bronze) was won by Abass Baraou four years ago in Hamburg.
Against the background, it is good that new athletes are recommended for the next generation who could soon lead the way.
Round of 16 already reached
Many of the 13 German boxers were stopped in Belgrade in the first round.
But Boakye-Schumann is still in the running, as is Magomed Schachidov.
The no less ambitious welterweight from Bavaria, immigrant from Chechnya, has in the past been more often thwarted by his fragile hitting hand than by overpowering opponents.
Now, after two wins, he is in the second round as Boakye-Schumann.
In the form he shows, his departure from Belgrade could be delayed a little longer.