Kazakhstan claimed six gold medals in the ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships

The ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships finished with its fifth competition day in Puerto Princesa, Philippines where 13 final bouts have been held on Monday. Kazakhstan became the most successful nation in the ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships with six titles but Uzbekistan, Japan and Philippines also won gold medals in Puerto Princesa. The Best Boxer Award went to Japan’s Sora Tanaka who dominated the welterweight (66kg) in the ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships.

Pinweight (46kg):
Philippines’ newcomer in the junior national team Kenneth De La Pena delivered sensational performance in the quarter-final of the ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships where he eliminated previously unbeaten Selay Soy of India. Following their unique contest De La Pena triumphed over Chinese Taipei’s Yu Chen Cheng and advanced to the final of the competition. The Filipino boxer was able to repeat that top performance also in the final against Kazakhstan’s Akilbek Mukhtarov and won the first title in the ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships.

Light flyweight (48kg):
Kazakhstan’s Junior National Champion Makhmud Sabyrkhan impressed in the quarter-finals when he eliminated Philippines’ main gold medal contender Criz Russu Laurente. The young Kazakh boxer launched high number of attacks in his semi-final against Uzbekistan’s Junior National Champion Ruslan Abdullaev and secured his place in the gold medal bout. The Kazakh boxer met in the final with Japan’s Toshiya Yano who eliminated India’s Sidhartha Malik in the second semi-final of the category. The Japanese boxer tried to find the best fighting distance in their spectacular bout therefore Sabyrkhan had to do his very best to win this key final in Puerto Princesa which was Kazakhstan’s first in the event.

Flyweight (50kg):
Philippines’ John Vincent Pangga claimed several national titles during his career and he had already 87 bouts since 2011. The 15-year-old Filipino talent, who is spending his first year in the junior age group, eliminated Uzbekistan’s Heydar Aliyev Junior Cup winner Amirbek Ibodullayev, United Arab Emirates’ Saif Al-Kharoosi and Kazakhstan’s Junior National Champion Talgat Syrymbetov during his road to the finals. The 15-year-old Filipino talent opened his final with quick attacks against Thailand’s Sarawut Sukthet. Pangga was patient and awaited for the best attacking moments in the bout and caught Sukthet several times in the second round. Pangga was able to keep his level until the final bell and won his first ever international title as a boxer who were born only in 2002.

Light bantamweight (52kg):
Uzbekistan’s Asadkhudja Muydinkhodjayev is one of the most experienced junior athlete in the entire Asian continent who eliminated Japan’s Hiromi Gomi, Iraq’s Children of Asia Games competitor Hussein Abdulhadi Al-Baidhani and Thailand’s Nodpharat Thakhui in the road to the finals. The Uzbek southpaw had to meet in the final with his old rival Kazakhstan’s Biybars Zheksen who eliminated India’s Bhavesh Kattimani in the semi-final. The Kazakh boxer defeated his Uzbek rival in the preliminary round of the Heydar Aliyev Junior Cup two months ago therefore the two athletes knew each other very well. The Uzbek boxer moved ahead but he received counter-attacking punches from Zheksen and the Kazakh talent was able to win his first continental title in Puerto Princesa.

Bantamweight (54kg):
Uzbekistan’s Rakhmatullo Toshpulatov was silver medallist in their Junior National Championships but he received the right to compete in the ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships. The Uzbek boxer tried to use his height advantage in the final against Kazakhstan’s Aitzhan Ashirkhan who eliminated Japan’s Kenshin Yura in the semi-final. The Kazakh boxer launched powerful punches in the first round and the referee counted Toshpulatov after Ashirkhan’s jabs. The Kazakh boxer reduced the fighting distance well enough and his efforts delivered for him a title in the ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships.

Featherweight (57kg):
Uzbekistan’s Javlonbek Yuldashev was member of their junior national team already in 2016 and since then he moved up three weight classes. The 16-year-old Uzbek claimed silver medal in the Heydar Aliyev Junior Cup in Azerbaijan and eliminated already Iran’s Farhad Moradi, Japan’s Kenshin Yamamura and India’s Ankit Narwal in the previous rounds of the ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships. The Uzbek talent met with South Korea’s Goh Seung Hun in the final and tried to control the middle part of the ring. Yuldashev caught the quick Korean in the first round and tried to be smarter in the second against such a technician opponent. Yuldashev worked well in their contest and his efforts were enough to beat his Korean opponent which was Uzbekistan’s first title in Puerto Princesa.

Lightweight (60kg):
Japan’s Reito Tsutsumi eliminated Kyrgyzstan’s Nuradin Rustambek Uulu in the quarter-final and India’s No.1 Akshay Kumar in the semi-final of the competition. The Japanese boxer, who will be turning to 15 soon, tried to use his strong punches against Kazakhstan’s Bekzat Yerimbet who defeated Uzbekistan’s Sherzod Kodirbayev in a one-sided semi-final. The Japanese boxer tried to go closer to the Kazakh talent and in the opening two rounds his efforts were successful in the final. Yerimbet was enough strong to increase his level but Tsutsumi had enough advantage to keep his title in Puerto Princesa. Following his elder brother, Hayato Tsutsumi, Reito became also ASBC Asian Champion in 2017.

Light welterweight (63kg):
Uzbekistan’s Nurislom Ismoilov added to their junior national squad just before the start of the ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships. The Uzbek talent proved he is a top talent, eliminated India’s Vijay Deep in the quarter-final and stopped South Korea’s Lee Chae Hyun in the semi-final. Following his sensational performances, Ismoilov faced for the title with Kyrgyzstan’s Umar Kubanychbek Uulu who proved his technician style as in the semi-final. The Kyrgyz boxer moved back before launching his counter-attacks mainly in the second round but Ismoilov delivered enough strong performance to win their contest.

Welterweight (66kg):
Japan’s Sora Tanaka amazed the crowd when he eliminated Chinese Taipei’s Hung Sheng Po in the first preliminary round of the ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships, Kazakhstan’s Salimzhan Salimgereyev in the quarter-final and South Korea’s Cho Hyeon Jun in the semi-final of the welterweight (66kg). The Japanese talent moved forward continuously against Uzbekistan’s Asadbek Jumaniyazov who eliminated Kyrgyzstan’s Dastan Onolbekov in the semi-final. The Japanese boxer, who trains with professionals in his club, knocked down his Uzbek opponent in the first round. Tanaka caught his Uzbek opponent also in the second round and dominated their contest which meant Japan could secure its next title in the event.

Light middleweight (70kg):
Kazakhstan’s super talented Yerassyl Zhakpekov eliminated Uzbekistan’s Khayotbek Bakhtiyorov in the quarter-final which was an early final in Puerto Princesa. The Kazakh Junior National Champion, whose elder brother is member of their youth national team, defeated Japan’s Rei Nakano in the semi-final by RSC. Zhakpekov met for the title with Iraq’s Children of Asia Games silver medallist Sajjad Ali Saleh Saleem but their gold medal bout was a quick one. The 15-year-old Kazakh talent knocked out his Iraqi opponent with his right-handed hook and won the title in Puerto Princesa.

Middleweight (75kg):
South Korea’s Kwak Min Hyuk is a very talented junior boxer who eliminated China’s Wang Liang in the quarter-final and Chinese Taipei’s Huang Wei Hsiang in the road to the finals. Kwak had to meet for the gold medal bout with Kazakhstan’s Kuandyk Maksut who tried to control the first round of their contest. The Kazakh boxer was a hard target for the South Korean talent and launched dangerous punches in their contest. The final verdict was unanimous decision to Maksut who could win Kazakhstan’s fifth title in the ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships.

Light heavyweight (80kg):
Kazakhstan’s Heydar Aliyev Junior Cup winner Sagyndyk Togambay eliminated Iran’s Armin Azari Praivatlou in the quarter-final stage and dominated his semi-final against United Arab Emirates’ Nawaf Al-Riyami. Togambay dictated the tempo against India’s Mohit in the final of the category and his powerful punches were too strong for his opponent. The 16-year-old Kazakh boxer caught Mohit in the second round several times therefore Togambay was confident in the final minutes. Togambay won their contest by unanimous decision which was Kazakhstan’s sixth success in the ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships.

Heavyweight (+80kg):
India’s Satender Singh won their Junior National Championships three weeks ago and after that event he could join to compete in his first ever international tournament in Puerto Princesa. The Indian boxer eliminated Chinese Taipei’s Lin Sheng Hao, South Korea’s Kim Hyun Woo and Kazakhstan’s favourite Arnur Akhmetzhanov in the road to the finals. The Indian talent tried to continue his strong performance against Uzbekistan’s Heydar Aliyev Junior Cup winner Shokhrukh Almatov who eliminated Kyrgyzstan’s Margilan International Junior Tournament winner Akhmed Usupov in the semi-final. His Uzbek opponent launched strong punches in the first round but Singh tried to adopt the level of their bout quickly but Almatov had efficient style and secured Uzbekistan’s third gold medal in Puerto Princesa.

List of the winners in the ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships
46kg: Kenneth De La Pena, Philippines
48kg: Makhmud Sabyrkhan, Kazakhstan
50kg: John Vincent Pangga, Philippines
52kg: Biybars Zheksen, Kazakhstan
54kg: Aitzhan Ashirkhan, Kazakhstan
57kg: Javlonbek Yuldashev, Uzbekistan
60kg: Reito Tsutsumi, Japan
63kg: Nurislom Ismoilov, Uzbekistan
66kg: Sora Tanaka, Japan
70kg: Yerassyl Zhakpekov, Kazakhstan
75kg: Kuandyk Maksut, Kazakhstan
80kg: Sagyndyk Togambay, Kazakhstan
+80kg: Shokhrukh Almatov, Uzbekistan