Nurmagambetov Tournament

Kazakhstan acquires eight golds in the Nurmagambetov Tournament

The next competition in Kazakhstan, the Nurmagambetov Tournament was held in the city of Astana which was an active preparation before the ASBC Asian Men’s Elite Boxing Championships which to be scheduled in Amman, Jordan. The best boxers from Syria, Iraq, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan travelled to the event to raise their hopes’ number of the international contests in the Nurmagambetov Tournament.

The first gold medal of the competition was acquired by former Kazakh National Champion Adlet Kapezov who has been competing in the international level since 2003 and these experiences were the highest among the participants. Kapezov triumphed over his teammate 19-year-old Azat Kamzin by 3:0 in the final of the light flyweight class whilst Syria’s Hussin Al-Masri bagged a bronze medal in Astana.

Kazakhstan’s former AIBA Cadet World Champion Olzhas Sattibayev who won the Belgrade Winner Tournament last month, continued the winning path in Astana as well. The 25-year-old flyweight boxer walked over to the gold because Kyrgyzstan’s top elite boxer and team captain Azat Usenaliyev could not fight against him in the final.

Kazakhstan’s 20-year-old Zhanbolat Tilegenuly competed in the Tammer Tournament in Finland last October and shocked the participants of the bantamweight class in Astana. The young boxer not only advanced to the final of the category but he triumphed over his compatriot Asian Youth Champion Nurbol Kalzhanov in a hectic battle while Syria’s London 2012 Olympian Wessam Salamana and Turkmenistan’s Asian Youth Championships bronze medallist Yakub Meredov could not get any medals in Astana.

Kazakhstan’s 23-year-old Bekman Soilybayev won various international events in the recent one year and he is very near to be involved to the top team of the country. The lightweight athlete secured his biggest victory in his career winning the final against Tajikistan’s AIBA World Championships bronze medallist and two-time Olympian Anvar Yunusov who moved up one category this year.

Kazakhstan’s relatively unknown Baurzhan Iztleuov who trains in the club of CSKA and fought on home soil, secured a further victory for the host nation in the Nurmagambetov Tournament. The 22-year-old light welterweight boxer defeated more experienced Batyrkhan Dzhukenbayev by 3:0 while Kyrgyzstan’s World Combat Games winner Ermek Sakenov claimed a bronze in the strong competition.

Mongolia’s Asian Games bronze medallist 22-year-old Jargal Otgonjargal caused one of the biggest surprise of the whole tournament after beating Kazakhstan’s Asian Games winner and London 2012 Olympics quarter-finalist Daniyar Yeleussinov in a close contest. Otgonjargal is currently the Mongolian No.2 in the division just behind Byamba Tuvshinbat and proved his developed skills in Astana. Turkmenistan’s Asian Champion and London 2012 Olympian Serdar Hudayberdiyev failed to reach any medal in the Nurmagambetov Tournament but he will have the chance to do it better in Amman next month.

The host nation’s defending Asian Champion Rustam Svayev decided to go up to the middleweight class last year and his weight and strength now enough to win an international tournament. The 23-year-old Svayev eliminated his biggest rivals in the road of the finals and finally he was too strong for CSKA’s Bobirzhan Mominov as well.

Syria’s Taimanov & Utemisov Memorial Tournament silver medallist Alaaldin Ghossoun and Turkmenistan’s rising hope Great Silk Way Tournament bronze medallist Arslanbek Achilov eliminated the host nation’s top fighters in the light heavyweight class. Their gold medal bout was a spectacular one and finally the Syrian fighter was able to win his first ever international tournament title. Both light heavyweight competitors were born in 1992 and have got great expectations in the upcoming major events.

Kazakhstan’s former Asian Junior Champion Askar Abdullayev was too strong for WSB boxer Marat Moldagereyev in the semi-finals and Azat Abildinov for the gold therefore he won the heavyweight class in the event. Abdullayev moved up a division in the recent months and trying to secure a place in the top national team of Kazakhstan.

Kazakhstan’s two young finalists in the super heavyweight class were National Championships silver medallist Nurzhan Bekzatov and Kadyrov Memorial Tournament silver medallist Kamshybek Konkabayev. Bekzatov won their battle using his aggressive tactic while Tajikistan’s 218cm tall giant Mekhrodjiddin Karimov bagged a bronze medal in the Nurmagambetov Tournament.