Sri Lanka, Thailand and Pakistan secured final spots in Colombo

Next to the top nations, Sri Lanka, Thailand Pakistan also secured final spots at the ASBC Asian U22 & Youth Boxing Championships in Colombo, Sri Lanka today.

Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, Cambodia, French Polynesia, IBA-India, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, IBA-Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, Thailand, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan and Vietnam are the 23 participating nations in this championship.

Tajikistan’s Muinkhodzha Muminov is only 19-year-old but he had the strong experience from the past to keep his opponent’s speed in the first semi-final of the day. Kazakhstan’s Tileuberdi Suleimeni moved forward but Muminov had the great footwork to make the bout close in Colombo. Suleimeni had the strong pressure in the second and third rounds to win the opening bout of the ninth competition day in the exciting championship.

Uzbekistan’s new minimumweight (48kg) hope, Bekhruz Kholdorov claimed a silver medal in their Elite National Championships this January at the age of 18 and he repeated that also in the prestigious and strong Strandja Memorial Tournament. The Uzbek teenager met Sri Lanka’s Karage Waththe Samarakoon Dasunpriya who made a brave attempt to beat one of the stars of the event. Kholdorov had to keep the focus from the first seconds until the last to eliminate the local hopeful in the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium.

Sri Lanka’s Umayanga Mihiran, the ASBC Asian Elite Championships bronze medallist, had to meet a three-years-younger opponent in the semi-finals of the flyweight (51kg), Tajikistan’s Meroj Sufijonov. His Central Asian opponent won big events in the recent two years and he started the first round in impressive rhythm against the Sri Lankan No.1 today. He caught with heavy shots Mihiran and he made the show today to win this anticipated semi-final in Colombo.

Kazakhstan’s Dias Berikbay had a quick success in the quarter-finals of the men’s flyweight (51kg) in Colombo and he tried to repeat that against Nepal’s Arpil Rana. Berikbay had to increase his tempo from the second round due to Rana’s competitiveness in the first which surprised the Kazakh corner. The coaches gave the best advices to Berikbay and the young Kazakh was able to get back the control in time to win their semi-final.

IBA-Pakistan’s Umar Raza Khan was highly confident in his quarter-final bout and he used his longer hands to keep Sri Lanka’s Herath Mudiyanselage Karunanayake on long. The Pakistani southpaw counter-attacked the Sri Lankan boxer with perfect timing in the first and second rounds to take the massive lead on the judges’ scorecards. Khan used his height advantage well in this bantamweight (54kg) contest and the virtuoso boxer secured a final spot for Pakistan.

Kyrgyzstan’s Zafarbek Kamilov and Tajikistan’s Anushervon Fozylov both were born in 2006 and the two promising bantamweight (54kg) boxers met each other in the semi-final stage. The Tajik jumped into the best fighting distance several times to catch Kamilov who had also great defensive skills therefore the number of the clear punches were very limited. The final verdict was depended on their performance in the third round when Fazylov looked still enough fresh to win the closest bout of the session.

Kazakhstan’s Zhasurbek Anorbayev controlled all of the three rounds against Nepal’s Bir Limbu Singh who had some nice counter-punches but the Kazakh advanced to the final of the men’s featherweight (57kg). Thailand’s lone U22 male boxer in Colombo, Phanuwat Choojan-At had the footwork and the progress since his last international event to beat Kyrgyzstan’s Turgunbek Imankadyrov. 

Uzbekistan’s Shokhrukh Abdumalikov and Tajikistan’s Damir Muybalikhonov had a superb semi-final at the men’s lightweight (60kg) today. Both boxers competed in previous ASBC Championships and due to his great finish, the younger Tajik marched to the finals. Kazakhstan’s Nurislam Kaldybayev, who knocked down his Sri Lankan opponent, Mudalige Deshan Jayasundara, will be Muybalikhonov’s final opponent.

Saudi Arabia’s Mousa Alhawsaw competed in the ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships in Chiang Mai six months ago and he proved strong development since that event in Colombo. The Saudi was competitive against Kazakhstan’s Seraly Zholmaganbet and he fought until the last second with a chance to win this light welterweight (63.5kg) semi-final. Zholmaganbet won this close semi-final and he can expect a hard final against Kyrgyzstan’s Asian Youth silver medallist Omar Livaza who had a clear success over Tajikistan’s 19-year-old Ruslan Gafurov.

Kyrgyzstan’s next boxer in action was their ASBC Asian Youth Champion Almaz Orozbekov who met Australia’s Jake Van Rooyen in the first semi-final at the welterweight (67kg). The 19-year-old Orozbekov’s jabs controlled the opening round and he had multiple shots in the second to take the massive advantage on the scorecards. The Kyrgyz teenager finished the job in the third round and the referee stopped their contest before the final gong.

Kazakhstan’s Bakhtiyar Anarbayev has six years of international experience in our sport and he dictated the tempo against Saudi Arabia’s promising Esmail Alqassimi in the second welterweight (67kg) semi-final. The Kazakh produced his best round in the second but the Saudi Arabian boxer did not give up the fight, he moved ahead in the third which was perfect for the 20-year-old Anarbayev.

Kyrgyzstan’s Eldar Turdubayev was energetic and powerful as in all of his previous competitions in the recent years and he did not underestimate Tajikistan’s Murodjon Ashuraliyev at the light middleweight (71kg) semi-final. The 21-year-old Turdubayev was never stopped attacking and he landed dozens of punches to win this battle therefore he can meet Kazakhstan’s Agazhan Kadyr for the title.

Kyrgyzstan’s Daniel Abdrakhmanov also made his international debut in 2019 as several of his teammates and he had the advantage in terms of routine against Sri Lanka’s Yazmin Mohommed Usaith. The local middleweight (75kg) boxer is member of their elite national pool and he tried to surprise the experienced Kyrgyz in the first round. Usaith gave in everything in this fight to beat his stronger opponent and he became Sri Lanka’s lone U22 winner in the semi-finals.

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