Asia delivered 12 guaranteed medals in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships after the quarter-finals
The seventh competition day was held in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in the Sibur Arena in St. Petersburg. After 71 Asian victories in the first six competition days in St. Petersburg our continent’s youth talents have won 12 superb bouts today this means 12 medals for Asia.
Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan achieved both four guaranteed medals in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships while India’s two podium places are also great success. Host of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, Japan and Philippines also secured a guaranteed medal in St. Petersburg today.
Altogether 90 Asian boxers from 16 countries are taking part in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in St. Petersburg and among them 12 are still in the competition. 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.
Light Flyweight class (49kg):
Philippines’ ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships bronze medallist Carlo Paalam won his opening bout in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships and repeated that performance against Ireland’s Jordan Moore who was 10cm taller than the Southeast Asian athlete. The Filipino boxer controlled his next quarter-final contest against Russia’s Youth National Champion Volodya Mnatsakanyan and advanced to the last four winning a guaranteed medal in the competition.
Chinese Taipei’s 17-year-old Hsu Cheng Yu eliminated Kyrgyzstan’s Syrgak Dzhanseitov in the last 16 and met with India’s AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Sachin Siwach Singh who arrived to St. Petersburg as one of the youngest competitor of the whole event and a secret favourite of the light flyweight (49kg). The young Indian talent was too strong for Romania’s AIBA Junior World Champion Cosmin Girleanu in the last 16 and he was able to beat also Hsu in the quarter-finals.
Flyweight class (52kg):
Japan’s defending ASBC Asian Youth Champion Hayato Tsutsumi had a great opening triumph in St. Petersburg while his second opponent was also a dangerous one, Germany’s EUBC European Confederation Youth Boxing Championships bronze medallist Hamsat Shadalov. Japan’s youth No.1 eliminated his tough German rival and did another perfect performance against Australia’s Commonwealth Youth Games winner Jack Bowen. Tsutsumi worked with single punches which surprised the Aussie boxer who could not reach the level of the Japanese boxer. Tsutsumi advanced to the semi-finals which guaranteed for him at least a bronze in St. Petersburg.
Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships silver medallist Otabek Kholmatov eliminated Kyrgyzstan’s Fatkhidin Khamroev, Hungary’s strong Istvan Szaka and Nicaragua’s AMBC American Confederation Youth Boxing Championships runner-up Darwin Jose Martinez in St. Petersburg. Kholmatov’s fourth opponent was AMBC American Youth Champion Luis Reynaldo Nunez of the Dominican Republic and he tried to launch more shots in the first round. Kholmatov controlled also the second round and he was able to keep his advantage until the final bell.
Kazakhstan’s Aidos Arapov won several international youth tournaments in the recent one and half year therefore his expectations were high in St. Petersburg. The AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships bronze medallist talent eliminated Armenia’s Zhirayr Sargsyan in the last 16 which was a key bout. Arapov did his very best with a lot of attacks in the quarter-finals against Cuba’s Elio Crespo but finally not his hand was raised after the last gong.
Bantamweight class (56kg):
Kazakhstan’s AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Samatali Toltayev is a big talent in the sport who celebrated his 17th birthday with a great triumph over Venezuela’s Jhoinner Alejandro Bonilla in the last 16 which meant he could box for a guaranteed medal against Turkey’s Ali Ihsan Alagas who eliminated his Cuban rival in the last round. Toltayev tried to work from longer distance against his smaller Turkish opponent and his jabs were decided their contest in St. Petersburg.
Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships bronze medallist Shunkor Abdurasulov eliminated in the last 16 Germany’s Andreas Jager who is also an experienced boxer in the international level. The 18-year-old Uzbek was aggressive in his quarter-final bout against China’s Zeng Jianming who also adopted the level of the contest from the first seconds. Abdurasulov overcame his Chinese opponent well enough in the final round which was enough for him to get a place in the semi-final.
Lightweight class (60kg):
Uzbekistan’s Bilolbek Mirzarakhimov won the gold medal in the last edition of the AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships, ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships and also in the ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships therefore his target in St. Petersburg is clear. Following his victory over Kazakhstan’s Sanatali Toltayev and Armenia’s Narek Hovhannisyan he was able to advance to the semi-finals in St. Petersburg following his amazing triumph over Russia’s Beslan Khamzayev. Mirzarakhimov delivered the best performance in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships today in the most important quarter-final.
India’s ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships silver medallist Ankush Dahiya is among the best Asian lightweight (60kg) boxers who proved his big talent against another top boxer Dominican Republic’s Euri Cedeno in the last 16 and had to meet for the guaranteed medal with a top Turkish opponent, EUBC European Junior Champion Necat Ekinci. Another Indian boxer defeated Ekinci in the AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships one year ago but this time Dahiya’s European opponent was stronger.
Japan’s multiple National Champion in various age groups Reo Saito proved top performance in the first preliminary round of the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships and continued his amazing winning path against Finland’s Klichko Brothers Youth Tournament silver medallist Asseme Nouali winning the bout by TKO in the last 16. Saito attacked from the first seconds against United States’ Delante Johnson in his quarter-final bout and did nice things in the ring today. The final verdict was unanimous decision to the US boxer but Saito proved his great talent in the whole championships.
Light Welterweight class (64kg):
India’s ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships silver medallist Ashish Kulhriya had a close first contest in St. Petersburg and he had another difficult contest in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in the preliminaries. Ashish, who was named as the Best Boxer of the last Indian Youth National Championships, exceeded the expectations in his third bout in St. Petersburg and surprisingly defeated Georgia’s EUBC European Confederation Youth Champion Eskerkhan Madiev. The Indian boxer had to meet against Russia’s newcomer Sergei Margarian in the quarter-final who was should have been easier for Ashish after the strong Georgian talent. The Indian hope did not find the best fighting distance in the bout against the uncomfortable Russian and could not get a medal in St. Petersburg.
Welterweight class (69kg):
Kazakhstan’s Klichko Brothers Youth Tournament winner Sadriddin Akhmedov eliminated Russia’s EUBC European Junior Champion Issa Evloev and Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian Youth Champion Ulugbek Sobirov to the road to the quarter-finals in the welterweight (69kg). The 18-year-old Kazakh future star dictated the tempo against Kyrgyzstan’s Aybek Akylbek Uulu who was quarter-finalist in the last edition of the AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships in St. Petersburg 14 months ago. Akhmedov knocked down his Kyrgyz rival several times and his efforts delivered for him a clear success in the quarter-finals.
Middleweight class (75kg):
Kazakhstan’s Bek Nurmaganbet, who began boxing at the age of 10, had enough experiences to be a favourite in the middleweight (75kg). After two successful contests he had to meet with Ukraine’s Dmytro Rybalko who eliminated Russia’s Nikita Voronov in St. Petersburg in the last round. The 18-year-old Kazakh boxer eliminated such a strong Ukrainian rival and for the guaranteed medal he met with United States’ Nikita Ababiy who has got also Ukrainian roots. The referee counted the US boxer after a serious hook in the first round and Nurmaganbet continued the same strong performance until the final bell. The Kazakh boxer was in different level than his US opponent and secured his place in the semi-finals.
Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships bronze medallist Shokhrukhbek Rustamov had an Asian opponent in the last 16 Chinese Taipei’s Kan Chia Wei who is their elite No.1 also in this weight class. Rustamov was able to solve that tactical bout in the previous round and he tried to control also his important quarter-final bout against Germany’s Vezir Agirman who won the gold in the Pinatar Youth Tournament last month. Rustamov did his very best but finally Agirman’s hand was raised after the last bell.
Light Heavyweight class (81kg):
Kazakhstan’s Brandenburg Youth Cup winner Bekzad Nurdauletov and Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian Youth Champion Sanjar Tursunov met in an early final in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in the last 16. Asia’s two top stars in the light heavyweight (81kg) did amazing bout in the Sibur Arena but only one of them could advance to the last eight. Kazakhstan’s top boxer eliminated Tursunov which was a key bout in the weight class and Nurdauletov continued the top performance against Ireland’s Christopher O’Reilly in the quarter-final. The 18-year-old Kazakh talent was much better than his Irish rival and advanced to the semi-finals where he will now meet with Ukraine’s Roman Savitskiy.
Heavyweight class (91kg):
India’s Youth National Championships bronze medallist 18-year-old Naman Tanwar worked well against Croatia’s Marijan Brkic in his debuting match in St. Petersburg. The Indian boxer is not enough experienced yet but his fighting spirit was enough to beat another European rival in St. Petersburg today. Tanwar met with Romania’s Cristian Razvan Filip and his great uppercuts and hooks delivered for him a guaranteed medal in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships.
Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships silver medallist Shokhruz Rakhimov eliminated Hungary’s Richard Kocsis in the last 16. The Uzbek southpaw felt he is stronger than England’s Lewis Williams and dominated the first round against his taller rival. Rakhimov felt the rhythm well enough in their contest and after India’s Naman Tanwar he also advanced to the semi-finals as second Asian in this weight class.
Super Heavyweight class (+91kg):
Kazakhstan’s Youth National Champion Ayboldy Daurenuly was not the favourite against Russia’s EUBC European Youth Champion and EUBC European Junior Champion Vladislav Muravin but the Central Asian talent exceeded the expectations. The 18-year-old Kazakh boxer, who had only 30 bouts during his career, found the best counter-attacking positions against Muravin and won their top level bout in St. Petersburg in the last 16. Daurenuly did his very best against Georgia’s Giorgi Tchigladze as well but this time in the quarter-final he could not deliver his next success.