Exciting quarter-finals at the men’s super heavyweight and women’s minimumweight in Astana

The last part of the youth male quarter-finals and the first bouts for the girls featured in the afternoon session of the ASBC Asian Youth & Junior Boxing Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan. The super heavyweight (+92kg) contests were exciting in the session and also the women’s minimumweight (48kg) quarter-finals.

Hong Kong, India, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Palestine, Philippines, Tajikistan, Thailand, Chinese Taipei, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Yemen are the 22 participating nations in the event.

Abdulaziz Abdurakhmonov won the first contest of the day

Uzbekistan’s Abdulaziz Abdurakhmonov had strong junior and youth results in the past and he was the favourite against India’s Aryan in the opening bout of the cruiserweight (86kg). The Uzbek boxer had a right jab-left hook combination in the second minute which slowed down the Indian’s attacks. The 18-year-old Abdurakhmonov was more confident from the second round and he eliminated a good rival out of his way in Astana.

Nurzhan Duman eliminated the defending champion

Uzbekistan’s Aynazar Kenesbayev and Kazakhstan’s Nurzhan Duman both were members of their youth national teams in 2022. Kenesbayev, the defending ASBC Asian Youth Champion at the heavyweight (92kg), had the height advantage against the local boxer but he did not use his distance well enough in the first round. Kenesbayev, who lives and trains in Karakalpakstan, received shots from closer range in this hectic contest and the local boy advanced to the semi-finals, causing a surprise in the afternoon session. Nurzhan Duman will have another top opponent in the last four, India’s ASBC Asian Junior Champion Joon Bharat who had a confident victory over Iran’s Ali Aliakbari.

Muhammetdurdyyev earned Turkmenistan’s next medal

Mustapa Muhammetdurdyyev is Turkmenistan’s new hope at the heavyweight (92kg) who faced Kuwait’s Abdulaziz Al-Shammari in the quarter-finals. The 17-year-old Turkmen was too quick and strong for his Kuwaiti opponent and the referee stopped their unequal contest in the first round. Muhammetdurdyyev joined the last four and he will now meet for the title bout South Korea’s Nam Chan Yeong who turned back his quarter-final against Kyrgyzstan’s Tynystan Alybayev from an almost impossible situation after two rounds.

Yermolenko won the bout of the session

Kazakhstan’s Ivan Yermolenko was member of their youth national team at the super heavyweight (+92kg) already in 2022 but he had to meet another boxer who has strong athletic skills in his opener, Iran’s Amir Esmaeili Vandaei. The Iranian had some height and weight advantages in this bout but he was able to use that in the first round well enough. Yermolenko increased his tempo and the number of his shots in the second and he controlled the exchanges in that period. The Kazakh won one of the tightest contests of the session but Esmaeili Vandaei also proved his strong talent.

Koshaliyev knocked down his quarter-final opponent

Kyrgyzstan had difficulties at the super heavyweight (+92kg) in the previous years but the 17-year-old Myrzakir Koshaliyev could be their solution for the future. The Kyrgyz boy had disadvantage on the scorecards against Jordan’s Razi Alhyasat after one round but from the second, his strategy paid off. Koshaliyev knocked down his opponent in the second round and he was able to make a U-turn after three minutes therefore he can meet in the semi-final Uzbekistan’s Shakhzod Polvonov.

Norasing and Sharma are the first female youth medallists

Thailand’s Kewalin Norasing is newcomer in their youth national team but she had excellent technical skills and she won her second contest in Astana following the preliminary round. The 17-year-old Thai controlled the second part of the quarter-final against Mongolia’s Saruul Batsaikhan and she won a tight bout today. India’s Bhawna Sharma, the silver medallist from the 2022 Youth World Boxing Championships, had the effective long-range tactics against Kazakhstan’s Anel Abdrassilova and she joined the semi-finals.

Nguyen and Ganiyeva are the next semi-finalists

Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Hong Nhung and Chinese Taipei’s Guo Yi Xuan both have international experience and their minimumweight (48kg) quarter-final was an exciting bout in Astana. The Vietnamese girl switched her stance a few times during the bout and her technical skills secured a medal for her in this championship. Uzbekistan’s Youth World Champion Gulsevar Ganiyeva used her quarter-final contest against Iraq’s Amenah Watheq as a warm-up and she will now the Vietnamese in the last four.

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