Afghanistan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan delegate finalists to the 39th Gee Bee Tournament
The semi-finals of the 39th edition of the Gee Bee Tournament were held in Helsinki, Finland where several of the powerful Asian boxers won their fights in the busy competition day. Uzbekistan’s teenage duo Abdumalik Khalakov and Asadkhudja Muydinkhudjayev impressed in the day of the semi-finals but Kazakhstan and Afghanistan have got also finalists in the Gee Bee Tournament.
The prestigious Gee Bee Tournament is a parallel competition with the Asian & Oceanian Olympic Boxing Qualifying Event but Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Mongolia and Uzbekistan sent future hopes to Finland. Russia, Ukraine, France, Germany, Armenia, host Finland, Wales, Sweden, Netherlands and many other nations are also sent their squads to Helsinki.
Uzbekistan’s teenage hope Muydinkhudjayev advanced to the final in Helsinki
Uzbekistan’s Asadkhudja Muydinkhudjayev achieved strong junior and youth results and he was quickly involved to the elite national team and received the right to at the Gee Bee Tournament. The Uzbek boxer will be turning to 19 later this year but he impressed in the semi-finals of the event. Muydinkhudjayev had to meet with Armenia’s Narek Hovhannisyan in the last four and his speed was different than his Caucasian opponent in Helsinki. The Uzbek teenager advanced to the final of the event where his next opponent will be Russia’s National Champion Aleksey Mazur.
Kazakhstan’s Sagyndyk Togambay eliminated his strong Russian rival on Day2
Sagyndyk Togambay is Kazakhstan’s youngest team member in the Gee Bee Tournament but he is enough strong to beat top rivals. Togambay claimed gold medals in his recent three ASBC Asian Championships in Puerto Princesa, in Bangkok and in Ulaanbaatar as a junior and youth boxer. The 19-year-old Kazakh teenager eliminated Sweden’s Viktor Olsson in the quarter-finals and he continued his winning path against a quality opponent, Russia’s Ivan Sagaydak. Togambay landed nice jabs in the second round and he produced a superb third round to beat the Russian National Champion.
Kazakhstan’s AIBA World Champion Kairat Yeraliyev won his narrow semi-final
Kazakhstan’s Kairat Yeraliyev was involved to the national team in 2012 and his career highlight is a gold medal from the Hamburg 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships. Following his relatively unsuccessful events in 2018 and in 2019, he was replaced by ASBC Asian Youth Champion Serik Temirzhanov in the top national team. Yeraliyev amazed in the first day of the Gee Bee Tournament when he met with Armenia’s Artur Ghazaryan but he had a much stronger rival France’s Jordan Rodriguez. Yeraliyev had to do his very best to beta his French opponent who delivered also strong performance in the day of the semi-finals.
Uzbekistan’s Abdumalik Khalakov defeated his Russian rival in Helsinki
Uzbekistan’s Abdumalik Khalakov is one of the biggest talents in the whole globe who delivered another sensational performance in Helsinki. The 19-year-old Uzbek won the big three in 2018, the Youth Olympic Games, the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships and also the ASBC Asian Youth Boxing Championships. Khalakov was too smart for Germany’s Murat Yildirim who was quarter-finalist in the Hamburg 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships on Day1. Khalakov continued his winning series against Russia’s EUBC European Youth Champion Vsevolod Shumkov in a superb semi-final.
Afghanistan’s newcomer Yousof Rohullah is finalist in the Gee Bee Tournament
Afghanistan’s Yousof Rohullah is newcomer in the national team but he had an excellent stamina in the semi-finals of the Gee Bee Tournament. The Swedish-based Afghan boxer had to meet in the last four with Wales’ young hope Billy Unsworth in Helsinki. The Welshman was the favourite of their fight but his Afghan bantamweight (57kg) opponent became more competitive as he expected. Rohullah had amazing stamina in the third round and his great finished delivered for him a tight success and a place in the finals.
Kazakhstan’s Aslanbek Shymbergenov won his second fights in Helsinki
Kazakhstan’s current welterweight (69kg) No.2 Aslanbek Shymbergenov is one of the best boxers in the world but Ablaikhan Zhussupov is ahead of their national ranking. Shymbergenov was silver medallist at the Jakarta 2018 Asian Games and the WSB Team Champion arrived to Helsinki as one of the main favourite boxers of the welterweight (69kg). The taller Kazakh was too strong for Mongolia’s Bayarkhuu Ganbaatar on Day1 and he did not give also any chance to Finland’s Aydin Behruz in Helsinki. His final opponent will be Russia’s experienced Sergey Sobylinskiy which could be one of the top fights on Day3.
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