Eight Tajik gold medals in the Maruf Khusainov Memorial Tournament in Khudjand

The seventh edition of the Maruf Khusainov Memorial Tournament was held in Khudjand, Tajikistan where the host country could achieve eight titles in the front of the home crowd while Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan also claimed both one gold medal. Altogether 70 boxers from four Central Asian nations competed in 10 weight classes in Khudjand.
The first gold medal of the Maruf Khusainov Memorial Tournament went to Fakhridin Okhundjanov who turned to 18 this year and had to meet for the gold another teenage talent Shermukhammad Rustamov. Okhundjanov launched serious punches in the second round therefore the referee counted Rustamov and confirmed TKO in the middle of the bout. Okhundjanov won all of his contests with TKO in Khudjand and could be Tajikistan’s next sensation in the upcoming years.
Davron Shokirov was bronze medallist already in the 2011 Tajikistan National Boxing Championships therefore he had enough experiences to win the Maruf Khusainov Memorial Tournament in Khudjand. The 29-year-old Flyweight class (52kg) Isfara-based boxer was able to beat Khudjand’s Ismoil Hamzaaliyev Memorial Tournament silver medallist 19-year-old Bakhtovar Sagizov in the final winning it by split decision.
The main star of the whole competition was former AIBA Junior World Champion Asror Vohidov who turned to 21 this year. Tajikistan’s Bantamweight class (56kg) boxer defeated his first opponents by TKO and did his best once again in the final of the Maruf Khusainov Memorial Tournament against Kurgan-Tyube’s 19-year-old Bilol Kholov in Khudjand. Vohidov proved top performance and might be he will be able to regain his place in the national elite team in 2017.
Alidjon Usmanov is only 18 who won the gold medal in the Tajikistan Youth National Championships this April winning all of his contests by large margin of difference. Tajikistan’s top teenage hope was able to win all of his three contests in Khudjand by split decisions. His final opponent was Kazakhstan’s Beybars Dzhusupbek at the Lightweight class (60kg) and Usmanov’s close triumph meant he won his first ever elite tournament.
Akbar Safarov attended in the 2013 ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships in Subic Bay, Philippines and claimed several medals in various international tournaments in the Central Asian region. The 21-year-old Light Welterweight class (64kg) boxer had a key contest in the quarter-final against Tajikistan’s National Champion Ibodullo Karimov which he could win by split decision and continued his winning path against Odiljon Furkatjoni and Kazakhstan’s Baurzhan Temirkhan.
Khudjand’s 26-year-old Maruf Nizomadinov used up his experiences to beat Tajikistan’s Buston-based Nurmukhammad Mirkamolov in the final of the Welterweight class (69kg) in Khudjand. Tajikistan’s defending Student National Champion 22-year-old Nodir Khalimov claimed the host nation’s next title after beating Kyrgyzstan’s Dzharkinbek Turatov in the final of the Middleweight class (75kg). Tajikistan’s eighth and last gold medal was delivered by Subkhon Kholov who defeated Kyrgyzstan’s favourite Beksultan Arstanbekov.
Uzbekistan’s lone gold medal was achieved by Ziyadin Muminov who stopped Tajikistan’s Bakhodur Zukhurov in the final of the Heavyweight class (91kg). Kyrgyzstan’s title was taken by 20-year-old Altynbek Abdudzhalil Uulu who knocked down Tajikistan’s Akram Khudoyberdiyev in the final of the Super Heavyweight class (+91kg) while veteran Rustam Azizov claimed only bronze medal in Khudjand.

Winners in the Maruf Khusainov Memorial Tournament
49kg: Fakhridin Okhundjanov, Tajikistan
52kg: Davron Shokirov, Tajikistan
56kg: Asror Vohidov, Tajikistan
60kg: Alidjon Usmanov, Tajikistan
64kg: Akbar Safarov, Tajikistan
69kg: Maruf Nizomadinov, Tajikistan
75kg: Nodir Khalimov, Tajikistan
81kg: Subkhon Kholov, Tajikistan
91kg: Ziyadin Muminov, Uzbekistan
+91kg: Altynbek Abdudzhalil Uulu, Kyrgyzstan