RESULTS Anđelo Kvesić wins Super Eight Croatia Cup as Bostandžić pulls out injured

Anđelo Kvesić left the 32nd Super Eight Croatia Cup with the title, but the final never happened. Anes Bostandžić, who won the other group, had to concede after hurting his left knee in his last group bout against Japan's Sukiyama.

The Croatian heavyweight, a double European champion, still had to earn the place. He won four times without losing a point: 1-0 over Italy's Fiore, 1-0 over Russia's Kovalev and 2-0 over Georgia's Gelashvili in his group, then the final by default. The prize for first place was 3,000 euros, according to CroRing, which cited Večernji list.

The result has an unfinished edge. Kvesić had beaten Bostandžić in both of their earlier meetings at this tournament, including last year's final, so a third meeting would have been a rematch of that final. Bostandžić told CroRing the injury looks serious and that the anterior cruciate ligaments may be involved. No diagnosis has been reported.

Kvesić said he went in open, looking for a shorter distance and more action for the crowd, even after taking the first point, which wins a tied bout. He framed the event as lower stakes than major championships: "This is neither a world nor a European championship, so it suited me to work more relaxed." (translated)

The win matters for the record books. Kvesić now has three titles, level with Junior Lefevre and Enes Garibović as the most by a Croatian. His younger brother Ivan, a former world and European champion, has won twice, so the family has five. The brothers' father Stipe received a plaque at the gala dinner, and the organising committee president Zdenko Protuđer joked that the brothers should agree who wins next year.

Watch for Bostandžić's medical results, which will show how long he is out, and whether Kvesić can take a fourth title and the Croatian record outright.