Dusmatov is Asia’s first finalist while Otgondalai secured a guaranteed medal for Mongolia
The Asian women boxers also began their roads in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games where some of them are medal hopefuls. Three of our boxers are now guaranteed medallists in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and among them Uzbekistan’s Hasanboy Dusmatov advanced to the gold medal bout. Mongolia’s Dorjnyambuu Otgondalai also won a key contest today and his efforts delivered his nation’s first boxing medal in Rio de Janeiro.
Women’s Flyweight class (51 kg):
Uzbekistan’s first woman boxer who could qualify for an Olympic Games is Yodgoroy Mirzaeva who was born only in 1996. Uzbekistan’s woman boxing life is in highly development stage and Mirzaeva’s Olympic spot is one of their first huge success. The Uzbek boxer met with an experienced fighter, Canada’s Mandy Bujold who is member of the national team since 2006 and achieved several titles in the recent one decade. Mirzaeva’s best round was the third in their contest but the final verdict was unanimous decision to the Canadian star. Yodgoroy Mirzaeva is a great prospect who will be in best age at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games.
Women’s Lightweight class (60 kg):
China’s Yin Junhua was gold medallist in the Incheon 2014 Asian Games and also in the AIBA Asian & Oceanian Olympic Qualification Event and arrived to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games as a medal favourite. The Chinese boxer used her height advantage against Morocco’s Hasnaa Lachgar who is Africa’s best in this weight class. Yin did not give any chance to her Moroccan rival, won all of the rounds and the whole contest in her debut in Rio de Janeiro. The Chinese boxer advanced to the quarter-finals where her next opponent will be Azerbaijan’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships silver medallist experienced Yana Alekseevna.
Men’s Light Flyweight class (49 kg):
Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian Champion Hasanboy Dusmatov defeated his main rival Kazakhstan’s AIBA World Champion Birzhan Zhakypov in the quarter-final stage of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The 23-year-old Uzbek boxer is now a guaranteed medallist but he was not enough satisfied yet with the bronze and worked well in the semi-final. Dusmatov met with United States’ Nico Hernandez in the semi-final of the category who could repeat his previous top performance in their contest. The Uzbek boxer was too quick for the US talent therefore Dusmatov can box for the gold medal against Colombia’s Yuberjen Martinez in the final of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Men’s Lightweight class (60 kg):
Uzbekistan’s current APB World Champion Hurshid Tojibaev returned to the Olympic Games after his first appearance in Beijing in 2008 when he was only 19. The Uzbek No.1 competed in the Olympic Test Event in Rio de Janeiro last December therefore he knew and felt the ring therefore he could beat his first opponent Qatar’s AIBA World Boxing Championships quarter-finalist Hakan Erseker and Great Britain’s WSB hope and EUBC European Confederation Champion Joseph Cordina in his second bout. Tojibaev’s next opponent in the quarter-finals was Brazil’s Robson Donato Conceicao who was too smart for the Uzbek boxer. Tojibaev moved ahead but the host nation’s pride was able to use his great footwork to beat the Central Asian hope.
Mongolia’s Dorjnyambuu Otgondalai is the current Asian Games winner and ASBC Asian Confederation Champion who has got great target in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The 28-year-old Mongolian had a close but winning bout against Netherlands’ Enrico La Cruz who won the gold medal at the World Olympic Qualification Event. The Mongolian boxer needed only one further step to get a medal in Rio de Janeiro where his next opponent was Algeria’s Reda Benbaziz in the quarter-finals. The Mongolian veteran was confident in the opening round against his North African rival and took the lead after three minutes of fight. Otgondalai had an impressive second round which meant Mongolia could secure its first boxing medal in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Men’s Middleweight class (75 kg):
Kazakhstan’s Zhanibek Alimkhanuly was ASBC Asian Champion and AIBA World Champion in 2013 but he returned this year in top form after a few unexpected losses. The Central Asian No.1 was in different level in his opening bout against such a top opponent as Great Britain’s Anthony Fowler who was bronze medallist at the Almaty 2013 AIBA World Boxing Championships. Kazakh boxer met with Algeria’s Ilyas Abbadi in his second bout and he could save power for the later actions as the North African did not reach him in their contest. Alimkhanuly was in totally different level and proved once more he is a favourite in this weight class.
India’s Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games winner and current ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships silver medallist Vikas Krishan Yadav joined to the AIBA Pro Boxing this year and arrived to Rio de Janeiro as a medal contender. The 24-year-old Indian did not have an easy draw as he had to meet with United States’ AIBA American Olympic Qualification Event gold medallist Charles Conwell. Vikas Krishan delivered top performance and secured his place in the last 16 in Rio de Janeiro where his next opponent was Turkey’s Onder Sipal who could not stop his attacks in the first round. The Indian boxer felt the rhythm and knew when he can launch his attacks therefore his victory was an expected result in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.
Uzbekistan’s Bektemir Melikuziev was amazing among the youth boxers in 2014 when he claimed gold at the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships and following that in the Youth Olympic Games. The Uzbek boxer began his elite career with gold at the ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships and silver at the Doha 2015 AIBA World Boxing Championships. The 20-year-old super talented Uzbek boxer was seeded as No.2 and he concentrated well against Australia’s Daniel Lewis to win his first bout in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Melikuziev was amazing in the second round and kept his rhythm also in the final three minutes which meant the Uzbek star advanced to the quarter-finals in the Games.