History is in making – Saudi Arabia and Cambodia earned medals in Chiang Mai

Saudi Arabia and Cambodia exceeded the expectations and the two countries earned historic medals at the ASBC Asian Elite Men and Women Boxing Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand on Day6.

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, host Thailand, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam are the 21 participating nations in the ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships.

Kazakhstan’s Orazbek Assylkulov and Thailand’s Phanuwat Choojan-At both won their first contests in Chiang Mai during the preliminary stage and they met in the quarter-finals of the featherweight (57kg). The 21-year-old Thai proved his development in all aspects of boxing and he was highly competitive for the more experienced Kazakh today. Assylkulov had to increase his rhythm round by round to win this important and tight quarter-final contest.

Japan’s Sota Nakayama had a very hard and experienced opponent in the quarter-finals of the men’s lightweight (60kg), Mongolia’s Enkh-Amar Kharkhuu, the 2021 ASBC Asian Elite Champion. The Mongolian moved forward and he tried to catch the quick Japanese but it was not an easy task for the 32-year-old veteran. The Rio Olympian Kharkhuu received two warnings from the Tunisian referee which supported the success of the well-progressed 21-year-old Japanese boxer.

Kyrgyzstan’s Ryspek Bektenov had dangerous right-handed hooks in his lightweight (60kg) quarter-final against Philippines’ newcomer Mervin Lucky Alcober and he had the comfortable advantage on the judges’ scorecards after the second round. The Slovakian referee counted the Filipino in the second and Bektenov’s dominance continued throughout the nine minutes of fight which delivered the first medal for Kyrgyzstan.

Tajikistan’s Akmal Ubaidov is not well-known in the international stage yet but the 26-year-old boxer surprised Kazakhstan’s Asian Youth Champion Biybars Zheksen in the first round of their lightweight (60kg) quarter-final. The Tajik maintained the best distance earlier than Zheksen and he was still able to do a better rhythm in the second round therefore Ubaidov eliminated one of the gold medal favourites. Ubaidov’s semi-final opponent will be Ukraine’s Paris Olympian Aider Abduraimov who bowed out Turkmenistan’s taller Muhammetguly Yklymov who had a hard selection against Aziz Klychev at home.

Anvar Nasredinov was born in Uzbekistan but he switched to Cambodia in 2022 and he returned to the international stage after one year of hiatus. The Cambodian knocked out Turkmenistan’s Arslan Nurchiyev in the first round and the 24-year-old boxer claimed a historic medal for the Southeast Asian country. Ukraine’s European bronze medallist Ivan Sapun lost to China’s debutant Wang Jinxiang in the last quarter-final of the light heavyweight (80kg).  

Uzbekistan’s Feruza Kazakova dictated the tempo against Mongolia’s Balsan Mungunsaran in the first round and the multiple Asian Champion had the advantage on the scorecards. The Mongolian flyweight (52kg) boxer changed her tactics in the third round but it was too late to turn the result back. The Uzbek will be meeting Kazakhstan’s Zhazira Urakbayeva in the semi-finals following her neighbour stopped Chinese Taipei’s Luo Yu Ting in the first round of their last eight bout.

Vietnam’s Tran Thi Kim Chi is a newcomer in the national team and she did not expect such strong resistance from Saudi Arabia’s Yara Alamri in their flyweight (52kg) contest. The Saudi teenager, who began boxing only 18 months ago, amazed in the first round and she used her longer hands well enough to win their opener by 3:2. Tran switched into a higher tempo but Alamri’s counter-attacks came with perfect timing therefore she won Saudi Arabia’s first ever female medal in the level of the ASBC Asian Boxing Championships.

Uzbekistan’s Nigina Uktamova moved up to the women’s featherweight (57kg) and she met another Olympian boxer in the quarter-finals, Tajikistan’s Asian bronze medallist Mizhgona Samadova. The Tajik tried to keep the best distance in the first round but Uktamova landed quick shots to take the opener on the scorecards. Samadova not only used her strength but she had good footwork as well in the first and second rounds therefore Uktamova had to give in everything until the last seconds to win the quarter-final.

Philippines’ Riza Pasuit and Sri Lanka’s Kasthuri Keshani Hansika both have nearly 10 years of experience in the international events and they have also similar style of boxing. Pasuit competed mostly at the lightweight (60kg) in the previous years and she replaced the two-time Olympic medallist Nesthy Petecio in this championship. The Thailand Open Tournament winner Filipina was quicker in the exchanges and she managed to win this featherweight (57kg) quarter-final.

Kazakhstan’s two-time Asian Youth Champion 19-year-old Ulzhan Sarsenbek attacked from the first seconds and she controlled her quarter-final against Vietnam’s Asian Games competitor Nguyen Huyen Tran. The two-time Olympian Ruenros Punrawee, who formerly known as Jutamas Jitpong in the events, moved up to the featherweight (57kg) and she made a brilliant performance against China’s Cai Yan in the key contest of the division.

Kazakhstan’s Viktoriya Grafeyeva robbed into the cream of the elite boxers in the recent 18 months and she defeated several stars in the Elorda Cup, National Championships and other events. Grafeyeva is the tallest at the women’s lightweight (60kg) but she used also her strength against Chinese Taipei’s Ye Chen Xuan in the first and second rounds to win the quarter-final with a stoppage.

Uzbekistan’s Paris Olympian Sitora Turdibekova won one Asian title during her career but she could expect a hard battle against China’s Li Qiange. The 22-year-old Uzbek did not find the best fighting distance in their meeting and she suffered a loss by bout review at the lightweight (60kg). China’s next boxer in action was Wang Lina, who earned already a World Championship title in 2018, therefore she was too strong for Vietnam’s Luu Diem Quynh in their middleweight (75kg) quarter-final.

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