Rio Test Event – Finals
Four Asian gold medals in the Rio Test Event
Six Asian men boxers advanced to the finals of the Rio Test Event which is a preparation event for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Among them four boxers could win their weight classes and claimed gold medals in the Rio Test Event.
Uzbekistan’s defending ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Champion Hasanboy Dusmatov eliminated an Indian hope, teenager Shyam Kumar Kakara winning the contest by large margin of difference in the semi-final and continued his excellent series against Brazil’s APB boxer Patrick Lourenco.
Japan’s Ryomei Tanaka involved to the national team only this year and competed in the ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships in Bangkok. The 22-year-old boxer won the 85th edition of the Japanese National Championships two weeks ago and shocked Brazil’s Juliao Neto in the final of the Flyweight class (52 kg) when he stopped the host nation’s veteran athlete.
Thailand’s current ASBC Asian Champion Chatchai Butdee had to meet with Uzbekistan’s AIBA World Boxing Championships silver medallist Murodjon Akhmadaliev who defeated Brazil’s Carlos Andre Rocha in a close semi-final. The 21-year-old Central Asian Bantamweight class (56 kg) boxer was too strong for his Thai rival and delivered Uzbekistan’s second gold medal in Rio de Janeiro.
Uzbekistan’s first boxer who qualified to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games was Hurshid Tojibaev from the AIBA Pro Boxing. The 26-year-old Lightweight class (60 kg) boxer returned to the AOB competitions and proved his knowledge in the semi-final of the Rio Test Event against Venezuela’s young Luis Cabrera. The Uzbek star had to meet in the final with Brazil’s No.1 Robson Donato Conceicao who already qualified to the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The Brazilian boxer was better this time but Tojibaev proved he is among the top Lightweight class (60 kg) athletes in the globe.
Thailand’s two-time Olympian Saylom Ardee triumphed over a host nation boxer Brazil’s Roberto Custodio Queiroz in the semi-final and should have been met with Morocco’s current AIBA World Champion Mohammed Rabii for the gold. His North African rival did not stepped into the ring and Ardee won the gold medal by walk over.
Asian winners in the Rio Test Event
49 kg: Hasanboy Dusmatov, Uzbekistan
52 kg: Ryomei Tanaka, Japan
56 kg: Murodjon Akhmadaliev, Uzbekistan
69 kg: Saylom Ardee, Thailand