ASBC Asian Junior Champion Shokhrukh Almatov was the star in the 17th Zhetysu Youth Cup

The Zhetysu Youth Cup is a traditional international event in Kazakhstan which was held 17th times in-a-row in the city of Taldykorgan. ASBC Asian Junior Champion Shokhrukh Almatov returned from his injury and won the title of the super heavyweight (+91kg) but Kazakhstan’s Meirzhan Aidar and Yevgeniy Prikhodko also impressed with world class level of boxing in Taldykorgan.
Boxers who were born in 2002 and in 2003 were eligible to attend in the Zhetysu Youth Cup which age group is for the year of 2020. Altogether 42 female and 126 male boxers attended in the Zhetysu Youth Cup in Taldykorgan and among them 5 girls and 9 boys claimed the titles of the important international event.
Kazakhstan’s top youth event saw amazing talents from all of the regions of the host country but Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan also sent strong teams to the Zhetysu Youth Cup which has strong tradition now.
Uzbekistan’s Sitora Turdibekova is a 17-year-old talent who won two national titles quickly and proved rapid developments in our sport. The Uzbek featherweight (57kg) girl defeated Kazakhstan’s Ardak Sakenova in the final of the Zhetysu Youth Cup achieving her first international title. The further four female weight classes were won by Kazakh talents in the Zhetysu Youth Cup which was their first selection event for the 2020 youth competitions.
The first male title was achieved by Pavlodar region’s 16-year-old Berik Temirzhanov who had a tough quarter-final against Kyrgyzstan’s Anvarzhon Khodzhiyev but after that success he managed to beat Kazakhstan’s duo Akzhol Gulmurat and Zhandos Zhumabayev at the light flyweight (49kg). Berik is Serik’s younger brother who won the title of the 2016 ASBC Asian Youth Boxing Championships.
Temirlan Akhmetov of Almaty region is a 16-year-old talent who shocked all of his rivals in the Zhetysu Youth Cup beating Batyrlan Batyrbayev in the final of the flyweight (52kg) while the main favourite Beybarys Pernebek achieved only bronze in Taldykorgan. The bantamweight (57kg) was a crowded division with the participation of 28 boxers and which was won by Miras Kanabek of Almaty region following his success over Uzbekistan’s Shakhboz Yunusaliyev.
A fantastic final fight was held at the lightweight (63kg) where Meirzhan Aidar and Sabyrzhan Akkalykov advanced to the title bout. Both boxers were registered to the ASBC Asian Youth Boxing Championships as reserves and have got high number of international contests. The Almaty region’s Aidar knew his opponent well and found his weak points in their final which was one of the bests at the Zhetysu Youth Cup.
Ilyar Ashirov of Almaty region was born in 2003 but he had already tough bouts during his career and his previous experiences paid off in the final of the welterweight (69kg) which he won against Sultan Serikzhan of Almaty. The title of the middleweight (75kg) was won by Erkhat Bekzat who defeated all of his three strong rivals including Almaty’s Nurdos Kuanysh in the final.
Yevgeniy Prikhodko of Karagandy won top international junior events in 2018 when he proved his amazing skills in several countries. The 17-year-old light heavyweight (81kg) boxer demonstrated his power once again and defeated his first two opponents by RSC. Following these successes, he looked also confident in the final and defeated Nursultan Beysenbayev of Almaty.
Uzbekistan’s Amirshokh Samadov is a 17-year-old talent who is the No.1 in his age group at the heavyweight (91kg) therefore his gold medal was an expected result in Taldykorgan. Puerto Princesa’s 2017 ASBC Asian Junior Champion Shokhrukh Almatov had a small injury in the recent months but he recovered quickly and he was in top shape to beat Kazakhstan’s experienced Georgiy Aushev in the final of the super heavyweight (+91kg).

List of the winners in the Zhetysu Youth Cup
Women’s 51kg: Gulnar Turapbay, Kazakhstan
Women’s 57kg: Sitora Turdibekova, Uzbekistan
Women’s 60kg: Zhuldyz Shayakhmetova, Kazakhstan
Women’s 69kg: Zhibek Zharaskyzy, Kazakhstan
Women’s 75kg: Asem Sultanova, Kazakhstan
Men’s 49kg: Berik Temirzhanov, Kazakhstan
Men’s 52kg: Temirlan Akhmetov, Kazakhstan
Men’s 57kg: Miras Kanabek, Kazakhstan
Men’s 63kg: Meirzhan Aidar, Kazakhstan
Men’s 69kg: Ilyar Ashirov, Kazakhstan
Men’s 75kg: Erkhat Bekzat, Kazakhstan
Men’s 81kg: Yevgeniy Prikhodko, Kazakhstan
Men’s 91kg: Amirshokh Samadov, Uzbekistan
Men’s +91kg: Shokhrukh Almatov, Uzbekistan

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