Liepāja Boxer Proņins Proves He Can Knock Out Both Opponent and Himself from European Championship

Liepāja boxer Bogdans Proņins proved in Vilnius that fighters raised in our city can handle not only the Baltic Sea cold and winds, but also European-level opponents. At least for one round.

At the international "Danas Pozniaka" tournament, Proņins started like a true Liepāja native – immediately with a technical knockout against an Estonian athlete. "It was like a walk on our beach – cold, windy, but he's used to it," comments trainer Raitis Mičulis. "Bogdans simply showed the Estonian what it feels like to enter the Baltic Sea in January."

However, the second opponent – European championship "Top 10" boxer Simonas Puninskis from Lithuania – proved to be a tougher nut to crack. The Liepāja fighter did send the Lithuanian into a knockdown in the first round, but then the same old Liepāja problem began – we start well, but then something happens. "Like with our tram – first we're moving, then we stop," philosophically admits a local sports enthusiast.

As a result, Proņins earned 5th place, which by Rīga standards would be a catastrophe, but for Liepāja is a normal achievement. "While Rīga residents box only with their ego, we box with heart and wind at our backs," says the trainer. This week, the Liepāja team will head to the Latvian championship in Rīga, where they plan to prove they can win even without Baltic Sea wind support.