Kazakhstan’s 18-year-old Abzal Serik had excellent performance in the second day at the Strandja Memorial Tournament
The 73rd Strandja Memorial Tournament continued with two sessions in Sofia, Bulgaria where the next generation of Asian boxers amazed the crowd. Kazakhstan’s ASBC Asian Youth Champion Abzal Serik is only 18 but he delivered fantastic performance and advanced to the next round at the men’s light welterweight (63.5kg).
Strong Asian teams as India, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan are attending at the upcoming Strandja Memorial Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria, which is one of the most exciting competitions in the world. The new 73rd Strandja Memorial Tournament is the first from the World Boxing Tour’s Golden Gloves Series and take place between February 18 and 28.
The Strandja Memorial is Europe’s oldest international boxing tournament and has a strong brand name therefore high number of stars decided to attend in the event. IBA arranged the money prizes and boxers could earn new world ranking points in the 73rd Strandja Memorial Tournament.
Impressive number of 39 nations registered to attend in the new edition of the Strandja Memorial Tournament in Sofia. The competition will be also a preparation event for the upcoming big goals as the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships and many other continental events.
Nitu eliminated a strong Russian on Day2
India’s Nitu Ghanghas is AIBA Women’s Youth World Champion but in the recent few years she was not enough strong yet to compete for their top elite national team. The 21-year-old boxer received the right to compete at the Strandja Memorial Tournament and she has done a superb job as first at the minimumweight (48kg). The young Indian looked fresh and motivated in the first round against Russia’s Yulia Chumgalakova and she took the lead on the scorecards. Nitu’s speed amazed the experts and the judges while her third round was so outstanding that she could eliminate the experienced Russian.
Kazakhstan’s Alua Balkybekova bowed out the Romanian veteran
Kazakhstan arrived to the Strandja Memorial Tournament with their best line-ups and their No.1 at the minimumweight (48kg), Alua Balkybekova impressed in the second day of boxing. The 26-year-old boxer has nine years of international experiences but she faced with Romania’s veteran star, four-times EUBC European Women’s Champion Steluta Duta. The Romanian boxer used aggressive style to catch Balkybekova in the first round but the younger Kazakh was enough quick to avoid the pressure. Balkybekova used her longer hands well enough against the Romanian veteran and won the bout by unanimous decision.
India’s Anamika had energetic performance on Day2
India’s next generation of women’s boxers are strong enough to be competitive against the bests in the world. Their Anamika achieved silver medal at the Budapest 2018 AIBA Women’s Youth World Boxing Championships and joined to their elite national team following her performance in the previous events. Anamika is small at the light flyweight (50kg) but she has all the skills, speed and stamina to pressurize her opponents. She was better in the first round than Bulgaria’s Zlatislava Chukanova and landed multiple shots to catch the local pride. The Bulgarian tried to adopt the rhythm but Anamika was too fast in this contest and the Indian advanced to the next round.
Uzbekistan’s Mujibullo Tursunov proved his strength against a top rival
Uzbekistan’s Mujibullo Tursunov achieved silver medal at the 2021 CISM Military World Boxing Championships and he received the right also to attend at the AIBA Men’s Elite World Boxing Championships in Belgrade. The native talent lost to only Cuba’s unbeaten star and eventual winner Andy Cruz in the event but he proved his strength and huge developments. Tursunov had a neighbouring opponent in the second competition day of the 73rd Strandja Memorial Tournament, Kazakhstan’s 2019 ASBC Asian Youth Champion Mukhammadsabyr Bazarbay Uulu. Tursunov knew his opponent and his coaches used the best possible strategy against the 19-year-old Kazakh talent which meant the Uzbek was able to eliminate his top rival in Sofia.
Kazakhstan’s Abzal Serik had elegant style of boxing on Day2
Kazakhstan’s Abzal Serik is only 18-year-old but he is the defending ASBC Asian Youth Champion who spends his first elite competition at the Strandja Memorial Tournament. The Kazakh teenager used patient style of boxing against Serbia’s ex-Russian boxer, Pavel Fedorov who competed at the Belgrade 2021 AIBA Men’s Elite World Boxing Championships and several other top events in the recent ten years. Serik landed single jabs and he kept the total focus until the end of the contest eliminating a top European opponent in the Bulgarian capital.
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