Being a top athlete and world champion boxer is certainly no guarantee of continued success and every boxer knows that once they get on that throne, there is a long queue of fighters all wanting to topple them and take their place.

These European Championships have been full of surprises, seeing new comers succeed and older pros failing to make the grade.

Roberto Camarelle, the super heavyweight, Olympic – World Champion, who dazzled every one with his speed and skills, only as recently as last September in the AIBA – World Championships in Milan became the latest casualty in Moscow, were he suffered defeat at the hands of newbie, Sergey Kuzmin of Russia.

Italy, which boosts of two world champions in this Olympic discipline in the 60Kg and 91+KG (Domenico Valentino and Roberto Camarelle), has not done so well at these championships, with both champion boxers eliminated from the competition.

The AIBA reports: Ice Palace, Moscow. 10, June – 2010.

Although local super heavyweight class 23-year-old Strandja Tournament winner newcomer Sergey Kuzmin is competing in his first major championships in the European Men's Championships in Moscow, he caused the biggest surprise of the day when the young Russian athlete faced double World Champion and reigning Olympic Champion Roberto Cammarelle of Italy in the quarterfinals, winning the bout despite his rival's experience.

Only 44 boxers remain in the competition at the 38th edition of these European Championships and now all the boxers who have advanced to the semifinals along with Kuzmin will win at least a bronze medal.

Kuzmin won the close bout 6:3, ending Roberto Cammarelle's incredible nearly three years winning series. Cammarelle's last defeat was at the 2007 AIBA World Championships final in Chicago.

Rising star Beijing Olympian Khalid Yafai of England is clearing his path to the finals after defeating Derenik Gizhlaryan of Armenia by 9:1 in the quarterfinals. His next step will be to come up against World Championships bronze medalist Ronny Beblik of Germany in the semifinals.

Another young English boxer, Commonwealth Games winner and the tournament's best boxer Iain Weaver defeated newcomer Oualid Belaoura of France 12:7 and advanced to the semifinals which will be held on Friday.

German featherweight boxer Denis Makarov surprised the spectators when he defeated local superstar and former World Champion Sergey Vodopyanov of Russia. Makarov, who is of Russian-descent, was a bronze medalist at the 2008 European Championships in Liverpool.

Hungarian gold medal contender Balaz Bacskai advanced to the semifinals after winning his bout against Athens Olympic Games bronze medalist Ionut Gheorghe of Romania when the ringside doctor stopped the contest in the second round due to Gheorghe's eye injury.

Bacskai's compatrion Gyula Kate defeated Vincenzo Mangiacapre of Italy 9:4. A very strong boxer, Kate has signed with World Series of Boxing and he is a hot prospect for the WSB's upcoming inaugural season which will begin in November.

One of Bacskai's biggest rivals, Olympic Games bronze medalist Alexis Vastine of France, defeated Chechnya-born Leon Chartoi of Sweden 7:2 and will next be competing against titleholder Magomed Nurudinov of Belarus.

The most unfortunate team in Moscow thus far has been Sweden: The Scandinavian nation had five chances to obtain a medal but each of the five boxers failed their quarterfinals bouts. The Russian, English, Irish, German, French, Belarussian, Ukrainian, Armenian, Hungarian and Bulgarian squad dominated the competition during the quarterfinals and will be putting forward at least one boxer each for the semifinals.

AIBA Report – Photos – Acknowledgment, the AIBA