Young champions from Sveti Donat test their form against Russian and Serbian national team members and a Polish fighter. The camp in Italy runs until August 18, after which coach Veočić selects the team for the European Championship in Sofia.
The Croatian senior boxing national team has begun serious sparring matches at the international camp in Assisi, near Perugia. Among those who have already felt the true competitive intensity are two Zadar fighters, Fabijan Tomkić and Petar Krešimir Knežević, who are preparing in Italy for the European Championship in Sofia.
Twenty-one-year-old Fabijan Tomkić, the Croatian champion in the under-70 kg category from the Sveti Donat club, tested his strength against Dmitriy Gorbenko. He is a Russian boxer who competes internationally under the Serbian flag. The sparring served as an excellent test for the young man from Zadar.
His club teammate, 22-year-old Petar Krešimir Knežević, the Croatian champion in the middleweight category up to 75 kg, had an even more demanding schedule. He completed several rounds against Jovan Nikolić, a Serbian national team member and this year's winner of the prestigious Belgrade Winner tournament, as well as against Polish national team member Damian Durkacz.
Also with the national team is 74-year-old Ukrainian coach Vladimir Zolotarev, an expert from the ranks of Sveti Donat, who is helping head coach Pero Veočić work with the Croatian seniors in Assisi. The Croatian boxers remain in Italy until Tuesday, August 18, 2026, and after the camp concludes, coach Veočić will finalize the roster for the European Championship.
The Old Continent's championship will be held in Sofia from September 15 to 27, 2026. Zadar boxing thus continues to have its representatives on the big international stage, and the preparations in Assisi confirm the quality of work at Sveti Donat. Through sparring with top European boxers, Tomkić and Knežević have the opportunity to further elevate their level ahead of the upcoming challenges.
