Kazakhstan, India, Japan and Uzbekistan have got finalists in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships
The day of the semi-finals was held in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in the Sibur Arena in St. Petersburg. After 83 Asian victories in seven six competition days in St. Petersburg our continent’s youth talents have won 6 superb bouts today. Kazakhstan, India, Japan and Uzbekistan have got finalists in the championships from our continent.
Altogether 90 Asian boxers from 16 countries are taking part in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in St. Petersburg and among them six are advanced to the finals. Afghanistan, China, Chinese Taipei, India, Indonesia, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Tajikistan, Thailand and Uzbekistan have sent teams to the new edition of the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships from our continent.
Light Flyweight class (49kg):
Philippines’ ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships bronze medallist Carlo Paalam won his opening bout in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships and repeated that performance against Ireland’s Jordan Moore and Russia’s Youth National Champion Volodya Mnatsakanyan in the quarter-final. His semi-final opponent was India’s AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Sachin Siwach Singh who arrived to St. Petersburg as one of the youngest competitor of the whole event and a secret favourite of the light flyweight (49kg). The young Indian talent was too strong for Romania’s AIBA Junior World Champion Cosmin Girleanu in the last 16 and he was able to beat also Chinese Taipei’s Hsu Cheng Yu in the quarter-finals. Paalam started the bout with an amazing right-handed jab against his taller Indian rival but Sachin tried to raise the tempo of the bout in the second round. The Indian boxer was able to control the third round as well which means he can box for the gold medal against Cuba’s Jorge Grinan.
Flyweight class (52kg):
Japan’s defending ASBC Asian Youth Champion Hayato Tsutsumi had a great opening triumph in St. Petersburg while his second opponent was also a dangerous one, Germany’s EUBC European Confederation Youth Boxing Championships bronze medallist Hamsat Shadalov. Japan’s youth No.1 eliminated his tough German rival and did another perfect performance against Australia’s Commonwealth Youth Games winner Jack Bowen in the quarter-finals. Tsutsumi had an Asian opponent in the semi-final, Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships silver medallist Otabek Kholmatov who moved up to the flyweight (52kg) just before the event. Tsutsumi surprised the Uzbek boxer with his effective punches in the first round but Kholmatov came back in the second. The final verdict was split decision to the Japanese talent in the best semi-final of the day.
Bantamweight class (56kg):
Kazakhstan’s AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Samatali Toltayev is a big talent in the sport who celebrated his 17th birthday with a great triumph over Venezuela’s Jhoinner Alejandro Bonilla in the last 16 and continued his winning path against Turkey’s Ali Ihsan Alagas who eliminated his Cuban rival in the last round. Toltayev moved ahead successfully in his semi-final when he met with Australia’s Sam Goodman and his long left hand was excellent in the opening minutes. Toltayev found the best attacking positions in the bout and delivered his best performance in the semi-final which means he can box for the gold medal in St. Petersburg.
Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships bronze medallist Shunkor Abdurasulov eliminated in the last 16 Germany’s Andreas Jager who is also an experienced boxer in the international level. The 18-year-old Uzbek was too aggressive in his quarter-final bout against China’s Zeng Jianming and secured a guaranteed medal in St. Petersburg. The Uzbek talent delivered top performance in the semi-final against United States’ AIBA Junior World Champion Marc Castro but his star opponent was too strong for him which means Abdurasulov claimed bronze in the event.
Lightweight class (60kg):
Uzbekistan’s Bilolbek Mirzarakhimov won the gold medal in the last edition of the AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships, ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships and also in the ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships therefore his target in St. Petersburg is clear. Following his victory over Kazakhstan’s Sanatali Toltayev, Armenia’s Narek Hovhannisyan he was able to defeat Russia’s Beslan Khamzayev in the road to the medal bouts. Mirzarakhimov was energetic and proved smart boxing in the semi-final against Turkey’s Necat Ekinci and the Uzbek favourite won their contest by unanimous decision.
Welterweight class (69kg):
Kazakhstan’s Klichko Brothers Youth Tournament winner Sadriddin Akhmedov eliminated Russia’s EUBC European Junior Champion Issa Evloev and Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian Youth Champion Ulugbek Sobirov to the road to the medal bouts in the welterweight (69kg). The 18-year-old Kazakh future was too strong for Kyrgyzstan’s Aybek Akylbek Uulu in the quarter-final of the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in St. Petersburg and bagged a guaranteed medal in the event. Akhmedov had to meet with another gold medal contender England’s Mohammed Harris Akbar in the semi-final and opened the first round with big punches. The English boxer was his most difficult opponent and their second three minutes was one of the best in the whole championships. Akhmedov amazed the judges in the final round with his quick attacks and finally he could win this top semi-final by 3:2.
Middleweight class (75kg):
Kazakhstan’s Bek Nurmaganbet, who began boxing at the age of 10, had enough experiences to be a favourite in the middleweight (75kg). After two successful contests he had to meet with Ukraine’s Dmytro Rybalko who eliminated Russia’s Nikita Voronov in St. Petersburg in the last 16. The 18-year-old Kazakh boxer eliminated such a strong Ukrainian rival and did not give any chance to United States’ Nikita Ababiy in the quarter-finals. Nurmaganbet was not enough careful in the first round of his semi-final against Germany’s Vezir Agirman but he raised the tempo in the second. The Kazakh talent was even better by minutes by minutes in their contest. The German was too tired in the last round and his defence collapsed which delivered for Nurmaganbet a place in the gold medal bout.
Light Heavyweight class (81kg):
Kazakhstan’s Brandenburg Youth Cup winner Bekzad Nurdauletov and Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian Youth Champion Sanjar Tursunov met in an early final in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in the last 16. Asia’s two top stars in the light heavyweight (81kg) did amazing bout in the Sibur Arena but only one of them could advance to the last eight. Kazakhstan’s top boxer eliminated Tursunov which was a key bout in the weight class and Nurdauletov continued the top performance against Ireland’s Christopher O’Reilly in the quarter-final. The 18-year-old Kazakh talent tried to control his semi-final against Ukraine’s Roman Savitskiy and launched nice punches but finally his rival’s hand was raised after the final bell which meant Nurdauletov claimed only bronze in St. Petersburg.
Heavyweight class (91kg):
India’s Youth National Championships bronze medallist 18-year-old Naman Tanwar worked well against Croatia’s Marijan Brkic in his debuting match in St. Petersburg. The Indian boxer is not enough experienced yet but his fighting spirit was enough to beat another European rival in St. Petersburg, Romania’s Cristian Razvan Filip which delivered for him a guaranteed medal in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships. Tanwar had to meet with the best of the category, Cuba’s AIBA Junior World Champion Dainier Pero in the semi-final. The Cuban boxer controlled their contest from the first round and won their bout by unanimous decision. The Indian was satisfied with his bronze medal after the confirmation of the winner which result is his career highlight.
Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships silver medallist Shokhruz Rakhimov eliminated Hungary’s Richard Kocsis in the last 16 and the Uzbek southpaw was stronger than England’s Lewis Williams in the quarter-final of the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships. The 18-year-old Uzbek boxer moved ahead in the semi-final against Russia’s Vladimir Uzunian but the host nation’s pride used his longer hands to keep the distance which he has done successfully. Following Naman Tanwar Uzbekistan’s Shokhruz Rakhimov also claimed bronze medal for Asia in this weight class.