Iranian National Championships – Review of the last edition
The Iranian National Men’s Elite Boxing Championships will be held later this year and it is worth to mention their development in the recent one year. Iran’s best elite, youth and junior athletes competed in all level of the ASBC events in 2017 and claimed medals in those appearances in Tashkent, in Bangkok and also in Puerto Princesa.
Iranian Boxing Federation is more active in 2017 than in the previous years and their athletes achieved better results in the international elite and youth competitions in the recent months. The Iranian boxers achieved one quota place for the Hamburg 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships following their performance in the ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships in Tashkent. Sajjad Kazemzadeh is one of the most promising boxer of the country who achieved bronze in Tashkent.
Reza Hassan Nia impressed all of the boxing fans in Iran with his gold medal in the ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships in Bangkok this year. The new wave of the Iranian boxers dominated their National Championships event one year ago and all of them are active to defend their thrones in the upcoming new edition.
Great Silk Way Tournament silver medallist 25-year-old Omid Ahmadisafa is the best Iranian light flyweight (49kg) boxer in comparison to his previous teammates in the recent 10 years and has got great potential in the new Tokyo 2020 Olympic cycle. He won the light flyweight (49kg) in the 2016 edition of the Iranian National Boxing Championships following his victory over Meysam Sadeghi.
Sajad Mohammadpour put himself into the spotlight in 2014 when he claimed silver medal in the Strandja Memorial Tournament. Since then he competed in several international competitions excluding the Olympic Games but at home he was able to beat ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships competitor Houman Taghanihoular one year ago. Their rivalry could be one of the highlight of the upcoming National Championships.
Ehsan Sepahvandi was the main favourite at the bantamweight (56kg) but he claimed only bronze medal one year ago when Abdolhamid Shulibar achieved the title. Armin Amjadian is Iran’s most experienced lightweight (60kg) boxer who has been competing in the international level since 2009 but he was not able to win his semi-final one year ago therefore he is now hungry for a success in Iran.
Seyed Dana Esmaeilzadeh had to meet with his main rival Esmail Armashi in the final of the light welterweight (64kg) one year ago and their rivalry could be another highlight in the upcoming event. Sajjad Kazemzadeh is the most developed Iranian boxer who competed well enough in the ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships in Tashkent therefore he will be the main favourite once again at home.
Moein Ghahrazeh defeated Sadegh Rouhi at the middleweight (75kg) one year ago but there are new younger boxers as Seyed Shahin Mousavi and others who could be dangerous for them in the new event. Mohammadreza Kachui defeated Mobin Ghahrazeh in the final of the light heavyweight (81kg) once year ago while international boxer Hossein Daneshmand claimed only bronze medal in 2016.
Mohammad Azizi is a new face in the Iranian boxing but he has got all the potentials to beat his rivals in 2017 as he did against Ali Akbar Rigi in the final of the heavyweight (91kg) one year ago. Vahid Ebrahimi has got international experiences which he used against Ali Shahidi in the final of the super heavyweight (+91kg) one year ago. Since then Imad Ramezanpour could be his main rival in Iran.
List of the winners in the 2016 Iranian National Championships
49kg: Omid Ahmadisafa
52kg: Sajad Mohammadpour
56kg: Abdolhamid Shulibar
60kg: Moslem Maghsoudi
64kg: Seyed Dana Esmaeilzadeh
69kg: Sajjad Kazemzadeh
75kg: Moein Ghahrazeh
81kg: Mohammadreza Kachui
91kg: Mohammad Azizi
+91kg: Vahid Ebrahimi