Zheksen won the bout of the day in Chiang Mai

Kazakhstan’s Biybars Zheksen won the bout of the day at the ASBC Asian Elite Men and Women Boxing Championships in Chiang Mai during the afternoon.

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, host Thailand, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam are the 21 participating nations in the ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships.

Kyrgyzstan’s Sanzhai Seidakmatov was quarter-finalist in the recent editions of the World Boxing Championships and he moved up to the featherweight (57kg). Seidakmatov was not a tall boxer in this weight class but he met a Mongolian talent, Gantumur Lundaa who has the same physical skills. The Mongolian was bronze medallist in the last edition in Amman at the age of 21 and he not only controlled the bout against the nervous Kyrgyz but he had an amazing finish in the last round.

Phanuwat Choojan-At was a surprise Thai national team member in the last edition of the 2022 ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships in Amman and he received the right to participate once again. The 21-year-old featherweight (57kg) hopeful faced Chinese Taipei’s Lin Jun You in the second bout of the day and he was patient in the counter-attacks during the first round. The Thai stopped Lin’s attacks with perfect timing and his precise work in the ring guaranteed his place in the quarter-finals today.

Orazbek Assylkulov won silver medals in most of his National Championships in Kazakhstan but finally he won the key selection event to compete in Chiang Mai. The 26-year-old Kazakh tried to be smarter than Malaysia’s Mohammad Zulkhailane in the next featherweight (57kg) bout of the day. The Kazakh southpaw started slowly but he changed his rhythm in the second round and finished the bout with tough jabs and hooks.

Uzbekistan’s World Champion and Asian Games winner Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov returned to the national team after three years and he looked hungry in his opener in Chiang Mai. The 29-year-old Uzbek ruled the middle of the ring against China’s southpaw Li Dicheng and he moved forwards from the first seconds. The Chinese had quick actions against one of the top Uzbeks in the third round but Mirzakhalilov was so experienced in comparison to Li.

Turkmenistan’s Dovlet Muhanov replaced Shukur Ovezov at the featherweight (57kg) in the national team and the 21-year-old used his height advantage against Sri Lanka’s Commonwealth Games quarter-finalist Podi Arachchige Rukmal Prasanna. The Sri Lankan was smaller but he did not attack all the time, he tried to be patient against his 10cm taller opponent from Turkmenistan. Muhanov landed his shots from safest distance and he eliminated the more experienced Sri Lankan in a tactical bout.

Kazakhstan’s Asian Youth Champion Biybars Zheksen and Uzbekistan’s two-time Asian u22 gold medallist Dilshod Abdumurodov had to meet each other already in the Round of 16 at the men’s lightweight (60kg). Zheksen worked from longer range and he was slightly better in the exchanges during the first round and he increased his tempo in the second to take a massive advantage on the judges’ scorecards. The 23-year-old Kazakh did not make any huge risks in the third round, his defensive skills were world-class to win this preliminary.

Thailand’s Khunatip Pidnuch joined the boxing world from Muay Thai only in 2019 but he quickly adopted the level of the competitions. The Thai lightweight (60kg) boxer had a very difficult contest against Ukraine’s 20-year-old youngster, Aider Abduraimov who qualified for the Paris Olympics this year. The Ukrainian landed his punches from longer range effectively in the first and second rounds and Abduraimov was still enough fresh in the final part of the contest to eliminate the local favourite.

Uzbekistan’s lone male Olympian boxer in their Chiang Mai team is Turabek Khabibullayev, the 20-year-old Asian Games bronze medallist. The Uzbek light heavyweight (80kg) boxer had a competitive opponent, Tajikistan’s Abdumalik Boltayev, but due to his second and third rounds, Khabibullayev won their meeting unanimously. Ukraine’s Ivan Sapun won a quick contest against Sri Lanka’s Yagamage Sithija Prathap Sudamma in the last match of the day.

Don’t forget you can keep up with all of the action, news, results and photos by following ASBC on Facebook and Instagram.
ASBC website: www.asbcnews.org
ASBC Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ASBC.Boxing/
ASBC Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/asbc_official/
ASBC Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/BoxingAsian?s=08