Japan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan won contests in the opening day of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games

The drawing ceremony of the boxing tournament of the Rio 2016 Olympic Games was held on August 4 while the first competition day delivered three Asian triumphs. Finally 64 Asian boxers from 17 different nations qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games where the total number of competitors will be 286 in the Riocentro Pavilion 6.

Men’s Lightweight class (60 kg):
Japan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships bronze medallist Daisuke Narimatsu is a technician boxer who tried to use his experience combined with strict jabs against Venezuela’s Luis Cabrera. The South American boxer joined to the national squad only last year and shocked his Japanese opponent in the first round. Narimatsu had to raise his rhythm and received good advices from the ringside which came for him still in time. The 27-year-old Japanese boxer dominated the second part of the bout and advanced to the next preliminary round winning his contest by split decision.
Kazakhstan’s AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Berik Abdrakhmanov had ten years advantage in the experiences against United States’ Carlos Balderas who qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games from the World Series of Boxing. The Central Asian APB hope was not enough shape in the first preliminary round and the same story happened with him what in the Incheon 2014 Asian Games. Abdrakhmanov attacked from the first seconds but his 19-year-old US opponent was able to defeat him.
Uzbekistan’s current APB World Champion Hurshid Tojibaev returned to the Olympic Games after his first appearance in Beijing in 2008 when he was only 19. The Uzbek No.1 has been there in the Olympic Test Event in Rio de Janeiro last December therefore he knew and felt the ring and the venue. His first opponent was Qatar’s AIBA World Boxing Championships quarter-finalist Hakan Erseker who joined to the international events in 2015. The Uzbek boxer was excellent from the first seconds until the final gong and advanced to the next stage of the competition.
Philippines’ Incheon 2014 Asian Games silver medallist Charly Suarez was amazing in the Asian competitions in the recent four years and he was planned to show his skills in his first Olympic Games. The Filipino boxer had to meet with Great Britain’s current EUBC European Confederation Champion Joseph Cordina in the first preliminary round. The Filipino boxer used aggressive style and his tactic was great against the British star in the first round. Cordina tried to catch the Filipino boxer and his efforts were successful in the last round which decided their contest. Suarez proved top performance but he can’t continue the competition in the Olympic Games.
Tajikistan’s AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist and ASBC Asian Champion Anvar Yunusov is competing in his third Olympic Games. The Tajik veteran had more experiences than his Asian opponent, China’s Shan Jun who qualified also from the World Olympic Qualification Event which was held in Baku, Azerbaijan. Yunusov had great footwork and his body movements were too difficult for the Chinese boxer who could not stop his attacks. The Tajik boxer won their contest by unanimous decision and can box in the last 16 where his next rival will be Brazil’s Robson Donato Conceicao.

Men’s Light Heavyweight class (81 kg):
Kyrgyzstan’s Erkin Adylbek Uulu had an important job in the Opening Ceremony as he carried the national flag of the Central Asian country yesterday. The 25-year-old boxer had a strong opponent Colombia’s Juan Carlos Carrillo therefore he tried to move more than his South American opponent. The Kyrgyz boxer was enough shape only in the first round but his Colombian rival returned in the second with strong performance therefore Adylbek Uulu suffered a loss in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.