The Asian boxers made perfect opening day at the Boxam Tournament
The first competition day of the 35th Boxam Tournament saw 18 contests in one session in Castellon de la Plana, Spain. Five Asian boxers opened their campaigns in the Boxam Tournament and all of them won the contests. Among them Kazakhstan’s Makhmud Sabyrkhan, Ablaikhan Zhussupov and India’s Mohamed Hussamuddin worked strongly.
India and Kazakhstan sent their top line-ups to the competition where such strong nations as Russia, United States, Ecuador, Italy, France, Spain, Puerto Rico, Lithuania and Romania are also in the Boxam Tournament. Castellon de la Plana is the host of the strong international event once again which is located in the Valencia region.
India’s Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Mohamed Hussamuddin tried to reduce the fighting range against Spain’s Joan Manuel Torres in the first round but he was not able to land enough punches. Following the first tactical round, the Indian increased his tempo against the quick Spanish and controlled that period better. The Indian featherweight (57kg) boxer had to do his very best in that contest to eliminate the 19-year-old Spanish in Castellon de la Plana.
“I am so happy that I started the Boxam Tournament well enough against a good rival. My Spanish opponent was taller than me therefore I had to move ahead more than in my last international contest. I know my next opponent, I had a sparring with him so I am aware of his weak points,” commented his success India’s Mohamed Hussamuddin short after the end of the bout.
Kazakhstan’s two-time ASBC Asian Youth Champion Makhmud Sabyrkhan is one the favorites at the men’s flyweight (52kg) in Castellon de la Plana. Sabyrkhan will be turning to 20 only this year but he is so experienced and well-prepared to win contests against the stars as well. The promising Kazakh boxer felt the tempo from the first seconds against Panama’s Martin Perez and controlled the fight. The referee counted the Central American boxer in the third round and Sabyrkhan marched into the quarter-finals.
Kazakhstan’s two-time ASBC Asian Boxing Championships silver medallist Zakir Safiullin qualified for the Tokyo Olympic Games as his first opponent at the Boxam Tournament, Morocco’s All Africa Games winner Abdelhaq Nadir. The Kazakh veteran was quicker in all exchanges than his North African opponent and he had the motivation to keep continue in the same level until the end of the contest. Nadir had good defense in the bout but Safiullin was able to find the holes between his gloves to win the bout.
India’s AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Manish Kaushik had a hard mission to get the quota at the Asian & Oceanian Olympic Boxing Qualifying Event but he succeeded in Amman. The Indian lightweight (63kg) boxer ruled the middle of the ring against Spain’s Raddouane Ammari Abdellaoui and used his powerful jabs to reach his opponent. Kaushik was better in all aspects of boxing from the first seconds and won the contest by unanimous decision. Kazakhstan’s two-time AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Ablaikhan Zhussupov is one of the best boxers at the welterweight (69kg) in the whole globe who had a tough opponent, France’s Hugo Grau first. The French competed in smaller weight categories in the recent years but he has the height in the welterweight (69kg). Former Youth Olympic Games winner Zhussupov landed more punches and he found the best attacking moments against a talented European rival in Castellon de la Plana.
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