Asia achieved eight gold medals in the FISU World University Boxing Championships in Chiang Mai

Following Thailand’s two gold medals in the fifth competition day at the FISU World University Boxing Championships in Chiang Mai the Asian boxers were able to raise the number of the titles up to eight in the last session of the event today. Asia achieved eight out of the thirteen possible gold medals in the championships and topped the rankings among the confederations in Chiang Mai.
Chiang Mai is located in the Northern part of Thailand and famous of its boxing school and also of its weightlifting traditions. Besides to the ten men’s weight classes the women boxers can compete in the Flyweight class (51 kg), Lightweight class (60 kg) and Middleweight class (75 kg) once again after the last Yakutsk 2014 edition. Boxers who were born between 1988 and 1997 are eligible to compete in the FISU University World Boxing Championships.

Women’s Flyweight class (51 kg):
Thailand’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships bronze medallist and Southeast Asian Games winner Chuthamat Raksat moved up from the Light Flyweight class (48 kg) to show her best in the front of the home crowd. The 23-year-old boxer was not enough shape in the opening round therefore she had to turn up the heat from the second to beat Poland’s Angelika Gronska in the quarter-final. Raksat probed better performance in her second appearance in the semi-final when she was too quick for Russia’s Svetlana Soluianova and boxed with Japan’s Sana Kawano for the gold medal. The young Japanese lady eliminated a strong European opponent France’s Wassila Lkhadiri who claimed bronze in the 2014 EUBC European Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships. Raksat moved ahead from the first seconds while Kawano tried to use her longer hands therefore their contest was a close one. The final verdict was split decision to Raksat who won her first gold medal in her new Olympic weight class.

Women’s Middleweight class (75 kg):
Chinese Taipei’s best woman boxer AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships bronze medallist and Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games silver medallist Chen Nien Chin was amazing in the semi-final of the FISU World University Boxing Championships in Chiang Mai. The Rio 2016 Olympian Chen demonstrated her power against Russia’s newly crowned National Champion Oksana Trofimova and met for the gold medal with Poland’s Natalia Hollinska in the competition. Chen was strong, confident, felt the rhythm from the first round against her European rival and claimed gold medal short after her appearance in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Men’s Flyweight class (52 kg):
Thailand’s Tanes Ongjunta was bronze medallist in the 2013 ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships in Amman and since then he had also great year in 2015. He was near to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games but after these events he is now focusing to the FISU World University Boxing Championships. The 24-year-old Thai boxer eliminated Japan’s Subaru Murata who qualified for the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games as a Light Flyweight class (49 kg) boxer. The Thai boxer continued his winning path in the front of the home crowd and controlled his semi-final against Russia’s tough Chingiz Natyrov. Ongjunta’s final opponent was France’s Malik Nahim who also could not stop the Thai attacks in the gold medal of the category which was Thailand’s fourth gold medal in the front of the home crowd.

Men’s Lightweight class (60 kg):
Kazakhstan’s No.2 at the Lightweight class (60 kg) behind APB World Champion Berik Abdrakhmanov is Didar Utelbayev who won several international AOB competitions in the recent one year. The 23-year-old Kazakh boxer eliminated Thailand’s National Tournament winner Thiwa Janthacumpa in the quarter-final of the championships and he did even better performance in the semi-final against Chinese Taipei’s Rio 2016 Olympian strong Lai Chu En. Utelbayev advanced to the gold medal bout where he did his very best once again and Russia’s Rustem Mustafaev also did not find the best weapon against him. Utelbayev’s triumph delivered Kazakhstan’s first gold medal in Chiang Mai while Kyrgyzstan’s new hope Temirlan Osmonov and Chinese Taipei’s Lai Chu En claimed bronze medals for Asia.

Men’s Welterweight class (69 kg):
Kazakhstan’s Bekbolat Kuramyssov competed at the Light Welterweight class (64 kg) until 2015 but following that he decided to move up one category. The 24-year-old Kazakh athlete proved smart boxing against Thailand’s new national team member Bunjong Sinsiri in the third competition day in Chiang Mai and did also the same strong performance in the semi-final against Switzerland’s Egzon Maliqaj. Kuramyssov won the bout by unanimous decision and expected strong battle against Russia’s Khariton Agrba in the final. The Kazakh boxer did his very best but his efforts were enough to take the silver medal this time.

Men’s Light Heavyweight class (81 kg):
Kazakhstan’s Ali Akhmedov won the gold medal in the first edition of the Asian Student Championships in Dushanbe, Tajikistan this May following he returned from the Heavyweight class (91 kg). The 21-year-old future hope was in different level than ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships bronze medallist China’s Li Bitao in the first preliminary round and he proved his strength in the quarter-final against Ukraine’s Viacheslav Troian. Following his TKO triumph he had stronger opponent in the semi-final, Switzerland’s Uke Smajli but he was able to solve that tactical job with his powerful right-handed jabs on Day5. His gold medal opponent was Belarus’ two-time Olympian WSB boxer Mikhail Dauhaliavets who was one of the most experienced boxer in the entire championships. In spite of the previous chances Asian Student Champion Akhmedov dominated their fight, knocked down his Belarusian rival and achieved Kazakhstan’s second gold medal in Chiang Mai.

Men’s Super Heavyweight class (+91 kg):
Kazakhstan’s Nurmukhanov Memorial Tournament winner and Duisenkul Shopokov Memorial Tournament bronze medallist Nursultan Amanzholov was the lone Asian boxer in the action in the semi-finals of the Super Heavyweight class (+91 kg) but he solved his tactical issues in the fourth competition day. His opponent Belarus’ Yauheni Mednik had great results as junior and youth boxer but Amanzholov was in different level and advance to the final of the event where he faced with Russia’s Krim-based Sergey Smolin. The young Kazakh talent used his height advantage in the bout and he was patient and calm in the gold medal bout. The final verdict was split decision to Amanzholov who celebrated his career highlight after the last gong.

List of the winners in the FISU World University Boxing Championships in Chiang Mai
Women’s 51 kg: Chuthamat Raksat, Thailand
Women’s 60 kg: Ratchadaporn Saoto, Thailand
Women’s 75 kg: Nien-Chin Chen, Chinese Taipei
Men’s 49 kg: Vadim Kudriakov, Russia
Men’s 52 kg: Tanes Ongjunta, Thailand
Men’s 56 kg: Yuttapong Tongdee, Thailand
Men’s 60 kg: Didar Utelbayev, Kazakhstan
Men’s 64 kg: Mger Oganisian, Ukraine
Men’s 69 kg: Khariton Agrba, Russia
Men’s 75 kg: Valerii Kharlamov, Ukraine
Men’s 81 kg: Ali Akhmedov, Kazakhstan
Men’s 91 kg: Anton Zaitcev, Russia
Men’s +91 kg: Nursultan Amanzholov, Kazakhstan