Former Olympian Nursahat Pazzyyev won the bout of the finals in the Turkmenistan National Championships

Thirteen finals were held in the fourth and last competition day in the Turkmenistan National Boxing Championships in Ashgabat. President of the Asian Boxing Confederation and AIBA Vice-President Mr. Serik Konakbayev followed the bouts in the venue from the first competition day. Turkmenistan’s best international boxers as Zarip Jumayev, Yakub Meredov, Nursahat Pazzyyev, Nuryagdy Nuryagdyyev and Islamic Solidarity Games winner Arslanbek Achilov won the titles in Ashgabat.
The Turkmenistan Elite National Championships was holding for their talents in the capital city in Ashgabat which hosted the 5th Asian Indoor & Martial Arts Games last September. The President of the Turkmenistan Boxing Federation Mr. Alen Shyhyyev invited Mr. Serik Konakbayev and Russian boxing stars as Dennis Lebedev, Oleg Saitov and Oleg Taktarov in to the Turkmenistan National Boxing Championships.
The head coach of the Turkmen national team Mr. Aleksandr Lebziak is supporting their boxers since March 2017 and his work has already paid off in the recent months. The former Russian head coach led the Turkmen national squad in the Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku where their Arslanbek Achilov won the gold medal at the light heavyweight (81kg).
Turkmenistan started to develop women boxing once again after a short break and following their National Cup the female part of our sport introduced in their National Championships as well. Altogether fifteen women boxers competed in their new National Championships in Ashgabat where they were able to attend in three weight categories.
Lebap’s Shakhrizada Merdanova defeated Dashoguz’s Gulhumar Atabayeva in the semi-final of the women’s light flyweight (48kg) but she lost to National Cup silver medallist Gulsat Polatova of Ashgabat in the final. Cemen Durdyklycheva won their National Cup last November and continued her winning path after beating Lebap’s Selbi Kuvuseva in the final of the bantamweight (54kg). The third women’s gold medal was achieved by Ashgabat’s Aygul Atadurdiyeva at the featherweight (57kg).
Dzhabbar Meyliyev lost to National Champion Dayanch Annaseidov in the final of the Turkmenistan National Cup in November but the younger hope did revenge this time in the semi-final of the light flyweight (49kg). Meyliyev was still able to keep his focus in the first men’s final when he met with Begench Annageldiyev and following his lethal punches the referee confirmed his RSC success.
Turkmenistan’s flyweight (52kg) boxer in the international level is Zarip Jumayev of Lebap region since 2010 and the 25-year-old athlete competed in all levels of boxing excluding the Olympic Games. Jumayev, who was the lone boxer from Turkmenistan who could beat a Cuban in the recent years, dominated his final against Ashgabat’s Mergen Meyliyev and defended his throne in the new edition.
Islamic Solidarity Games silver medallist Yakub Meredov of Ashgabat is the top favourite of the bantamweight (56kg) who shocked his four years younger rival Bayramkhan Permanov in the quarter-final and defeated also Zarip Achilov of Lebap region in the last four. The 24-year-old boxer, who is member of the national team since 2009, used his experiences for the title when he faced with Begench Alymov in Ashgabat.
Turkmenistan’s Hursand Imankuliyev is member of the national team since 2012 when he was still a junior boxer and he was quickly adopted the level of the elite athletes also since 2015. The 21-year-old boxer eliminated former National Cup winner Shokhrat Jumayev and he was able to control his next fight against Begmurat Halmuradov in the semi-final. Imankuliyev was able to keep his strong performance against his main national rival Yazmyrat Gurbanov of Ashgabat in the final of the lightweight (60kg) and defended his throne.
ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships bronze medallist Muhammet Berdibayev of Ashgabat defeated top rivals during his road to the semi-final of the light welterweight (64kg). The 20-year-old boxer eliminated National Cup winner Shokhrat Durdiyev in the last four and used his strong tempo until the end of the final bell when he met with defending National Cup winner young Togrulbeg Pazzyyev.
ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships bronze medallist Muhammetmyrat Sahedov won their National Championships and National Cup in the recent one year and arrived to the competition as the main favourite. The 20-year-old boxer was shocked by ASBC Asian Confederation Elite Boxing Championships quarter-finalist Timur Tajimov in the semi-final of the welterweight (69kg) and claimed finally only bronze medal. Dashoguz’s Tajimov was still hungry for his next success and for the title he was able to beat 19-year-old Serdar Amangeldiyev of Ashgabat.
Azizbek Achilov competed in all of the main international events excluding the Olympic Games therefore he was able to handle his tactical job against veteran Rasul Yuldashev in the semi-final of the middleweight (75kg) in Ashgabat. The experienced boxer tried to use his strong punches in the final against his main national rival London 2012 Olympic Games competitor Nursahat Pazzyyev but his opponent was technically better.
ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships bronze medallist Nuryagdy Nuryagdyyev will be turning to 20 only later this year but he is one of the most promising light heavyweight (81kg) boxer in the whole Asian continent. The teenage talent stopped Yazmuhammet Orazov in the semi-final and did not give any chance to Ustabek Samandarov in the final whose ringside abandoned their fight.
Arslanbek Achilov is the defending champion at the Islamic Solidarity Games who moved up to the heavyweight (91kg) in the recent months to show his skills and strength in a higher category. The Rio 2016 Olympian had to spend only a short time in the ring as his opponents, Meylis Esmiyev of Balkan region and Lebap’s Shokhrat Hojanepesov abandoned their unequal contests in the semi-final and in the final.
Ashgabat’s two-time Youth National Champion Baky Toychiyev was involved to the elite national team of Turkmenistan in 2017 and attended in the Islamic Solidarity Games. The 20-year-old super heavyweight (+91kg) boxer was too quick for National Cup winner Shokhrat Pirimanov in the semi-final which was an early final in the Turkmenistan National Cup. Toychiyev claimed the title in 2016 and regained his place in the new edition after beating Atajan Nurgeldiyev of Ashgabat in the last final of the event.

List of the winners in the Turkmenistan National Championships
Women’s 48kg: Gulsat Polatova
Women’s 54kg: Cemen Durdyklycheva
Women’s 57kg: Aygul Atadurdiyeva
Men’s 49kg: Dzhabbar Meyliyev
Men’s 52kg: Zarip Jumayev
Men’s 56kg: Yakub Meredov
Men’s 60kg: Hursand Imankuliyev
Men’s 64kg: Muhammet Berdibayev
Men’s 69kg: Timur Tajimov
Men’s 75kg: Nursahat Pazzyyev
Men’s 81kg: Nuryagdy Nuryagdyyev
Men’s 91kg: Arslanbek Achilov
Men’s +91kg: Baky Toychiyev