Ibraimov wins gold in the Zhetysu Youth Cup

The Zhetysu Youth Cup is a traditional boxing event in Kazakhstan which is opened for other nations as well. The competition was held in the city of Taldykorgan which is located in the Almaty region of Kazakhstan where all of the gold medals remained in the host country. Zhetysu, the name of the competition, means in Kazakh language Seven Water.
Altogether almost record number of 190 boxers attended in the Zhetysu Youth Cup in Taldykorgan where boxers who were born in 1999 and in 2000 were eligible to compete in the tournament. China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan sent their top youth boxers to the tournament which was held just before the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships.
In the women’s competition of the Zhetysu Youth Cup the first gold medal was achieved by 17-year-old Zhazira Urakbayeva who won also the Mamazhanov & Taraday Youth Memorial Tournament a few weeks ago. The young talent, who trains in Almaty, was too strong for Diana Keilman in the final of the Flyweight class (51kg).
The gold medal of the Women’s Lightweight class (60kg) moved to Adelya Dyusenbayeva who trains in the Almaty region. Nations Women’s Cup winner Nadira Maratova moved back to the two categories and attended in the Middleweight class (75kg) in Taldykorgan. The 17-year-old talent, who has got enough experiences in the international level, delivered another gold medal for Almaty following her triumph over Gyzalya Sadykova.
The Pinweight class (46kg) is not official in the main international youth events but several countries are arranging events in this weight category. Akzhol Zaiyp arrived to the competition from Kyzyl-Orda and claimed the first gold medal of the tournament after beating Mongolia’s Bayarkhuygun Buandalai in the final. Akzhol Abduali delivered a small sensation in the Light Flyweight class (49kg) when he defeated Kazakhstan’s Youth National Champion Damir Abdykadyr in the second final of the Zhetysu Youth Cup.
Asan Yerubek, who was quarter-finalist in the Kazakhstan Youth National Championships, and Kyrgyzstan’s Heydar Aliyev Junior Cup silver medallist 16-year-old Sanjar Seidakmatov delivered one of the best fight in the whole Zhetysu Youth Cup. The final verdict was split decision to Yerubek while AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Aibek Dossanov claimed only bronze in Taldykorgan.
Torgunbek Omirov arrived from the Karagandy region to Taldykorgan and surprisingly he was able to beat all of his rivals at the Bantamweight class (56kg) in the event. He defeated Nurdos Tolebay of Almaty in the final of the weight class while some of the favourites such as Dilshat Nurym missed to get any medal in the Zhetysu Youth Cup.
The next sensational triumph was delivered by Pavel Demenskiy who defeated his teammate Nursultan Otepbergen in the semi-final and China’s Moradyl Osman in the final of the Lightweight class (60kg) while experienced international boxer Berik Dzhedibayev lost his second preliminary bout.
Kazakhstan’s defending ASBC Asian Junior Champion Abylai Ibraimov proved top performance in the whole event and won the gold after beating Uzbekistan’s Asadbek Shodibayev in the final of the Light Welterweight class (64kg). Kyrgyzstan’s experienced international level boxer Meirambek Kaykiyev won only one bout in the event which shows the strength of the Zhetysu Youth Cup.
Daryn Imakhanov of Almaty shocked all of his rivals in the Zhetysu Youth Cup including Tajikistan’s top youth boxer Fozil Radzhabaliyev in the semi-final and Kazakhstan’s AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Aybol Zhambirbay in the final of the Welterweight class (69kg). The 17-year-old Imakhanov won all of his contests in the Zhetysu Youth Cup by TKO.
Kazakhstan’s Galib Dzhafarov Prizes Junior Tournament silver medallist Ruslan Kharchenko is an experienced boxer who could beat Tajikistan’s AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Akhmadjon Saidov in the semi-final and China’s Chinar Karu in the gold medal bout.
Kazakhstan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships bronze medallist Eldiyar Kamchybekov and AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships silver medallist Khurshedshokh Iskandarov both were excellent in the Zhetysu Youth Cup. They met in the final of the Light Heavyweight class (81kg) and after the final bell Kamchybekov could celebrate his gold while China’s strong Maimaiti Maierdan bagged only bronze this time.
Kazakhstan Youth National Championships silver medallist Nurtilek Sadakbay of Mangystau region won the gold medal of the Heavyweight class (91kg) after beating Meirambek Berganayev in the final. Kazakhstan’s previous junior No.1 16-year-old Elkhan Tabynbayev joined to the youth level and achieved bronze in Taldykorgan. Damir Toybay dominated the Super Heavyweight class (+91kg) of the Zhetysu Youth Cup where he won all of his contests by TKO including the final against Kyrgyzstan’s Bayaman Zhanzhigitov.

Winners in the Zhetysu Youth Cup
Women’s 51kg: Zhazira Urakbayeva, Kazakhstan
Women’s 60kg: Adelya Dyusenbayeva, Kazakhstan
Women’s 75kg: Nadira Maratova, Kazakhstan
Men’s 46kg: Akzhol Zaiyp, Kazakhstan
Men’s 49kg: Akzhol Abduali, Kazakhstan
Men’s 52kg: Asan Yerubek, Kazakhstan
Men’s 56kg: Torgunbek Omirov, Kazakhstan
Men’s 60kg: Pavel Demenskiy, Kazakhstan
Men’s 64kg: Abylai Ibraimov, Kazakhstan
Men’s 69kg: Daryn Imakhanov, Kazakhstan
Men’s 75kg: Ruslan Kharchenko, Kazakhstan
Men’s 81kg: Eldiyar Kamchybekov, Kazakhstan
Men’s 91kg: Nurtilek Sadakbay, Kazakhstan
Men’s +91kg: Damir Toybay, Kazakhstan