13 Asian triumphs in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships on Day2

The second competition day was held in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in the Sibur Arena in St. Petersburg. The Asian boxers won four contests in the opening day while our 13 of our continent’s talents defeated their rivals on Day2.
Altogether 90 Asian boxers from 16 countries are taking part in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in St. Petersburg. Afghanistan, China, Chinese Taipei, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Tajikistan, Thailand and Uzbekistan have sent teams to the new edition of the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships from our continent.

Flyweight class (52kg):
China’s Wu Zheng was more experienced than Afghanistan’s Ahmad Waseq Sultanzai who moved back to his original weight class in the recent weeks. The Chinese youth athlete, who is member of the national team since 2013, controlled the bout against the brave Afghan boxer and secured his place in the last 32.
Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian Youth Championships silver medallist Otabek Kholmatov moved up one weight class since his last appearance in Pavlodar but he was the favourite against Kyrgyzstan’s Fatkhidin Khamroev. The Uzbek boxer moved back before his counter-attacks against the quick Kyrgyz talent who claimed bronze in the 2013 ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships in Shymkent. Kholmatov received a warning in the last round but he was able to win the difficult contest by split decision.

Lightweight class (60kg):
Thailand’s Anan Thonkrathok competed in the last editions of the ASBC events and the 17-year-old boxer tried to attack from the first seconds against Armenia’s Narek Hovhannisyan who worked also well and his counter-attacks and uppercuts were successful. The Thai talent, who came from a boxing family, could not repeat his top performance this time and the Armenian boxer advanced to the next stage.

Light Welterweight class (64kg):
Philippines’ Ronald Chavez was the first Asian boxer who attended in this weight class in St. Petersburg. The 17-year-old Filipino talent moved up one division just before the start of the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships and tried to move closer to Hungary’s Karoly Botos who had longer hands. Chavez had a few good punches in the tactical bout which he won and advanced to the next stage of the championships.
Uzbekistan’s Bekhruz Rakhmonov replaced Abu Nuranov and Ziyodbek Urolov in the national team and received the right to box in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships. The 18-year-old Uzbek, who has got experiences from various international events, shocked Azerbaijan’s EUBC European Junior Champion favourite Bakhtiyar Gazibayov and finally his hand was raised in the key bout of the weight class.
Kazakhstan’s Ilyas Mirkhatuly is a new member in the national team who claimed their Youth National title a few months ago. The Kazakhs talent met with Denmark’s Oliver Meng who competed in the AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships one year ago. Mirkhatuly amazed the judges with his strict punches and advanced to the next round in St. Petersburg.
India’s ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships silver medallist Ashish Kulhriya tried to control his contest against Armenia’s Toni Galstyan who performed well in the Klichko Brothers Youth Tournament two months ago. The Indian southpaw knocked down his European rival in the final round and won his difficult opening match against a strong rival in St. Petersburg.

Welterweight class (69kg):
Thailand’s Kiattisak Promchuay won the Penang Pesta Tournament in Malaysia as a youth boxer but he did not find the best weapon against Ireland’s Brett McGinty who had more experiences than the Southeast Asian boxer. The Thai boxer was brave and tried to attack but the promising Irish star defeated him by TKO in St. Petersburg.
Uzbekistan’s defending ASBC Asian Youth Champion 18-year-old Ulugbek Sobirov defeated Japan’s Zen Kuroyanagi in the semi-final in Pavlodar and the Central Asian boxer tried to repeat that performance in St. Petersburg as well. Sobirov used strict punches to control the bout and his left hand was dangerous for Kuroyanagi in their contest. The Japanese boxer received also a warning from the Romanian referee therefore Sobirov won their bout by large margin of difference in their repeat bout.
Kazakhstan’s Sadriddin Akhmedov and Russia’s Issa Evloev are the best boxers of the welterweight (69kg) but they had to meet each other in the first preliminary round. Akhmedov won all of his contests in 2016 and demonstrated his technique and power against such a big name in St. Petersburg. Evloev was too tired in the final round and Akhmedov used his fitness and stamina to beat the host nation’s pride in the preliminary round. Kazakhstan’s most experienced youth boxer eliminated one of his main rival in the championships.
India’s Srinivas Melipaka tried to use his longer hands against France’s Pinatar Youth Tournament winner Milan Prat in another top welterweight (69kg) bout in St. Petersburg. The French boxer had better accuracy in their contest and defeated the Indian talent. China’s Qian Xiang had a tough opponent Puerto Rico’s Bryan Polaco as first in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships. The Chinese southpaw did his very best his efforts were not enough to win the contest against the Central American talent.
Kyrgyzstan’s Aybek Akylbek Uulu was quarter-finalist in the AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships in St. Petersburg one year ago and now he returned to the city with great expectations. The 17-year-old Kyrgyz welterweight boxer launched strong punches against Israel’s Daniel Levin and controlled most of the rounds in their contest. Akylbek Uulu advanced to the last 32 in the category and can prepare to his next bout against Tajikistan’s Fozil Radzhabaliyev.

Middleweight class (75kg):
Kazakhstan’s favourite Bek Nurmaganbet had more experiences than Italy’s Gerlando Tumminello and worked a lot to become the winner of their contest. Kazakhstan’s pride won international events in Azerbaijan, in Germany and in Turkey as well therefore his success against the Italian was not a surprise in St. Petersburg.
Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships bronze medallist Shokhrukhbek Rustamov has competed in several international events in the recent two years therefore he was waiting for his debut with great expectations. As an opening he had to meet with Belarus’ Yahor Skamarokh who was 15cm taller than the Uzbek boxer. Rustamov had to do his very best in the first round to beat the tall Belarusian but after this great job he can waits for his next rival.

Light Heavyweight class (81kg):
India’s ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships silver medallist Reyal Puri started the bout against Azerbaijan’s Elkhan Aliyev with great intense and boxed well enough in the first round. The 18-year-old Indian boxer did not have enough international experiences yet but his efforts were amazing in their today’s contest. Puri moved ahead and the judges picked him as the winner of the bout which means he can box in the last 16.
Uzbekistan’s defending ASBC Asian Youth Champion Sanjar Tursunov arrived to St. Petersburg as a medal favourite of the weight class and tried to follow the tactic from the first seconds against Lithuania’s Vilandas Valciukas. Tursunov played well with his Lithuanian rival and changed his stance sometimes during their bout. The Uzbek boxer continued the performance of his teammates and secured his place in the last 16.