Perfect day for Kazakhstan in Shymkent

Following the amazing success of the ASBC Asian Youth Championships in the Philippines the Asian Boxing Confederation’s next continental event for the junior age groups have started in the city of Shymkent, Kazakhstan. The tournament will be a historical one in the new Olympic era and it is the first continental championships which is using the new scoring method the 10-points must system.

After the official weigh-in and drawing ceremony cleared that 98 talented Asian boxers will be competing for the medals from the following 13 nations: Bhutan, China, India (participating under the flag of AIBA), Japan, host Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Mongolia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates and Uzbekistan.

In the opening contest of the first competition day Kyrgyzstan’s current Junior National Champion 16-year-old Anvar Nusipayev caused a small surprise when he eliminated China’s strong favourite Zhao Qi and advanced to the last eight in Shymkent. The Tokmak-based Kyrgyz pinweight fighter made his debut in the international level and it was more than a successful first step.

Kazakhstan’s first boxer who could show his skills was Nursultan Bekbolat in the same pinweight class which is the lowest division among the juniors. The host nation’s athlete was born in 1998 which means he will be able to fight in the same age group next year as well. Bekbolat claimed the gold medal in the Kazakh Junior National Championships in January and kept his unbeaten record in the Yukov Junior Memorial Tournament in Gomel, Belarus last month therefore his victory over Sri Lanka’s taller Athuwulage Kasuan Maduranga was not a surprise in Shymkent.

In the third pinweight class battle of AIBA’s Mohammed Wasique Mohammed Rafique who is one of the youngest participant in the whole competition, proved his world class skills in the rainy Shymkent. India’s hope awarded the best boxer trophy at the 2012 Sub-Junior National Championships and started with a triumph in the international level as well where he eliminated Mongolia’s Narantsogt Byambatsogt who moved down a division before the ASBC Asian Junior Championships.

Kazakhstan’s star boxer Stoyan Mazur also made his debut in the continental championships where he is competing in the 50kg weight division. The Almaty-based boxer competed in the 44kg weight class last year and moved up three categories and these changes were a full success for him. Mazur had to fight against AIBA team’s Bhimchand Singh Leichombam who has been boxing since 2008 and have had more than enough experiences but the host nation’s pride was able to find out the winning way in Shymkent.

Mongolia’s only victory of the first competition day was achieved by their biggest talent in this age group Misheelt Battumur who is two-time Junior National Champion. The Mongolian boxer celebrated his 16th birthday just before the championships and opened in style against Turkmenistan’s Children of Asia Games bronze medallist Rovshen Hojamuhammedov. Finally Misheelt Battumur advanced to the last eight where he will now meet Kazakhstan’s Stoyan Mazur.

Another Kazakh star junior boxer Abylaykhan Zhussupov dominated his contest in the Bout No.6 in Shymkent in the front of the home crowd. The 16-year-old bantamweight boxer from Karaganda did not give too many chance to Mongolia’s Janarbek Nyarbek while one of his biggest rival Uzbekistan’s Heydar Aliyev Junior Cup bronze medallist Ikboljon Kholdarov also started well enough in the opening round against Japan’s Ryouma Kitaura.

Kyrgyzstan’s Ruslan Ernis Ulu who was involved to the travelling team only some days before the championships, became the first boxer in Shymkent who could get a medal, at least a guaranteed bronze. In another Kyrgyzstan vs. China battle Ruslan Ernis Ulu demonstrated his power against Xu Huagui and advanced to the semi-final where he will be facing with India’s Prayag Chauhan who eliminated Tajikistan’s Mumin Nozimov. In the same lightweight class Kazakhstan’s Azat Ilyubayev continued the host nation’s winning series while Turkmenistan’s Chagrylbek Pazzyyev also secured their places in the last four.

At the 66kg weight division Kazakhstan’s rising star, Yukov Junior Memorial Tournament winner Rakhat Marzhikpayev who came from a real boxing family overwhelmed his inexperienced rival, Abdulla Mesmari of the United Arab Emirates and also won at least a bronze medal in Shymkent but his mission is the gold on home soil. His biggest opponent Uzbekistan’s Eldar Merzhanov also made a clear performance in the event and advanced to the semi-final stage of the championships.