Assad fights his way back to Tuesday night’s Cadet World bronze-medal match

ZAGREB, Croatia – U.S. Cadet World representative at 80 kg, Abe Assad advanced to the bronze-medal bout of the Cadet World Championships on Tuesday in Zagreb, Croatia.

On Monday, Assad dropped a 10-0 match to 2018 Cadet Asian champion Alihasan Ghiyasi of Iran, but was given the opportunity to wrestle back for a medal when Ghiyasi advanced to the 80 kg gold-medal finals, pulling Assad into the repechage.

Assad began repechage competition on Tuesday morning, taking on Batmagnai Enkhtuvshin of Mongolia, who took fifth at the 2018 Cadet Asian Championships.

Enkhtuvshin struck first on a step out and went on to lead 3-0 at the break. In the final minute, Assad scored 10 points with three takedowns and two late exposures. The American had his hand raised in a 10-4 victory.

In his second bout of the day, Assad raced past Joshua Morodion of Germany with a 12-0 tech fall, which was finished off with a nice four-pointer with 1:22 left in the bout.

For bronze, Assad will take on 2017 Schoolboy European bronze medalist Sagadulla Agaev of Russia. Also wrestling for medals tonight are 2017 World champion Daniel Kerkvliet and Richard Figueroa, who will wrestle for gold tonight.

The medal matches are set to begin at 6 p.m. local time (12 p.m. ET) live on Trackwrestling.com.

2018 CADET WORLD CHAMPIONSHIPS

at Zagreb Croatia, July 2-8

80 kg/176 lbs. – Abe Assad, Carol Stream, Ill. (Izzy Style WC)
WIN Medet Biliciturk (Turkey), 2-1
LOSS Mohammadreza Ghiyasi (Iran), 10-0
WIN Batmagnai Enkhtuvshin (Mongolia), 10-4
WIN Joshua Morodion (Germany), 12-0