Kazakhstan, Cuba, Morocco and Turkey on the top at the Galym Zharylgapov Memorial Tournament

Kazakhstan’s last international competition, the Galym Zharylgapov Memorial Tournament was held in the city of Karagandy where 19 finals took place in the event. Host Kazakhstan, Cuba, Morocco and Turkey shared the gold medals in the new edition of the event.

The Galym Zharylgapov Memorial Tournament was one of the last international competitions in the year of 2023. There were 57 women and 110 male boxers who attended in the new edition of the Galym Zharylgapov Memorial Tournament in Karagandy. Mrs. Aigul Baimanova was the engine of the Galym Zharylgapov Memorial Tournament, she supported the teams and all of the organizational matters. 

Karagandy is the usual host city of the Galym Zharylgapov Memorial Tournament which was hosted by the regional boxing federation in the previous years as well. The competition took place in all of the 13 male weight categories and the six women’s Olympic weight classes in Karagandy, Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan’s Nazym Kyzaibay, the two-time Women’s World Champion, won the first female title at the Zharylgapov Memorial Tournament, she defeated Zhazira Urakbayeva in the final of the light flyweight (50kg). 

Anel Sakysh was one of the new sensations at the women’s bantamweight (54kg), she defeated her older rivals in Karagandy and took the valuable title. Morocco’s Widad Bertal is an experienced female boxer who had the skills to beat a local veteran, Rano Parkhatova in the final of the featherweight (57kg).

The Astana-based Rimma Volosenko defeated the super talented Viktoriya Grafeyeva in the final of the lightweight (60kg). Turkey’s Olympic Games winner Busenaz Surmeneli was the top female star of the competition who stopped Kazakhstan’s Natalya Bogdanova at the welterweight (66kg). The sixth female gold medal went to the former World Champion Valentina Khalzova who defeated Gulsaya Yerzhan at the middleweight (75kg).

A 35-year-old veteran and former World Champion, Temirtas Zhussupov won the title of the men’s minimumweight (48kg), following his success over Yernar Karap, which was a repeat match between them.

The Cubans impressed in the Galym Zharylgapov Memorial Tournament, four of their boxers such as Giovis Salfran (51kg), the World Championships silver medallist Erislandy Alvarez (63.5kg), Jairo Ramirez (67kg) and Jorge Manuel Soto (80kg) all won gold medals.

Orazbek Assylkulov won the important featherweight (57kg) in Karagandy, while the 2021 Youth World Champion Sabyrzhan Akkalykov (71kg) defeated all of his rivals as well. Morocco’s Yassine Elouarz and Kazakhstan’s young duo, Sagyndyk Togambay (92kg) and Amanat Sabyrgali (+92kg) also impressed in the event.

The list of the winners at the 2023 Galym Zharylgapov Memorial Tournament
Women’s 50kg: Nazym Kyzaibay, Kazakhstan
Women’s 54kg: Anel Sakysh, Kazakhstan
Women’s 57kg: Widad Bertal, Morocco
Women’s 60kg: Rimma Volosenko, Kazakhstan
Women’s 66kg: Busenaz Surmeneli, Turkey
Women’s 75kg: Valentina Khalzova, Kazakhstan
Men’s 48kg: Temirtas Zhussupov, Kazakhstan
Men’s 51kg: Giovis Salfran, Cuba
Men’s 54kg: Karim Serkebayev, Kazakhstan
Men’s 57kg: Orazbek Assylkulov, Kazakhstan
Men’s 60kg: Talgat Syrymbetov, Kazakhstan
Men’s 63.5kg: Erislandy Alvarez, Cuba
Men’s 67kg: Jairo Ramirez, Cuba
Men’s 71kg: Sabyrzhan Akkalykov, Kazakhstan
Men’s 75kg: Yassine Elouarz, Morocco
Men’s 80kg: Jorge Manuel Soto, Cuba
Men’s 86kg: Yerkebulan Akimbay, Kazakhstan
Men’s 92kg: Sagyndyk Togambay, Kazakhstan
Men’s +92kg: Amanat Sabyrgali, Kazakhstan

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