The first medallists are revealed in Chiang Mai after the opening part of the quarter-finals
The first medals have been decided in the fifth competition day at the ASBC Asian Elite Men and Women Boxing Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, host Thailand, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam are the 21 participating nations in the ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships.
The battle between Tajikistan’s Shukrat Salomatov and Turkmenistan’s Saparmyrat Odayev opened the fifth competition day in Chiang Mai. The 26-year-old Tajik moved one step back before landing his counter-punches and he controlled the first round against the experienced Turkmen. The promising Salomatov launched body and head combinations in the second and he felt the distance against Odayev today therefore he is the first medallist at the men’s welterweight (67kg).
Thailand’s defending ASBC Asian Champion at the welterweight (67kg), Bunjong Sinsiri eliminated his first rival easily and he proved his excellent potential against Ukraine’s Elvin Aliyev as well, taking the host country’s first medal in Chiang Mai. Uzbekistan’s Mujibullo Tursunov moved up to the welterweight (67kg) in the recent months and he worked a lot to demonstrate his strength against Kyrgyzstan’s 19-year-old Almaz Orozbekov.
Ukraine’s European Youth Champion Bozorboy Matyakubov is a 20-year-old talent at the light middleweight (71kg) who opened the first round strongly against Mongolia’s Byamba-Erdene Otgonbaatar but his rival was able to turn back their quarter-final. Uzbekistan’s next powerful boxer in action was the Boxam Tournament winner Khavasbek Asadullayev who is also from the 1999 born age group as Tursunov and the Andizhan-based star dominated his quarter-final against China’s Li Guofeng.
Tajikistan’s Russia-based Shakhobdzhon Shukurov used old school of boxing in his quarter-final bout against Kyrgyzstan’s Eldar Turdubayev and he had the advantage in all of the five scorecards after three minutes of fight. The 25-year-old Tajik was more experienced than his younger Kyrgyz opponent and he landed several effective jabs from his longer range and his routine guaranteed a medal for Shukurov.
Kazakhstan’s Ablaikhan Zhussupov claimed three bronze medals in the World Boxing Championships between 2017 and 2021 and he returned after two years of hiatus a few months ago. The 27-year-old two-time Olympian was selected to participate at the light middleweight (71kg) and he used his longer hands well enough against Turkmenistan’s Asian Games bronze medallist Bayramdurdy Nurmuhammedov. His neighbouring opponent also had strong punches but Zhussupov controlled the battle of the southpaw boxers.
Thailand’s Paris Olympian Weerapon Jongjoho opened his international campaign as a junior boxer in 2017 and he is the tallest boxer at the men’s middleweight (75kg) in Chiang Mai. The 23-year-old Thai had a teenage opponent from Uzbekistan, the Youth World Champion Javokhir Ummataliyev and he tried to avoid the strong attacks in the first and second rounds. Jongjoho gave in everything in the third round but he was too static in this quarter-final to beat the young Uzbek.
Thailand’s Thipsatcha Yodwaree and Uzbekistan’s Asian U22 Champion Farzona Fozilova both are technician boxers from the 2003 age group. The Thai landed nice punches in the first round but Fozilova also found her best rhythm in time and she moved a lot on feet in this pre-final contest at the women’s minimumweight (48kg). Yodwaree started the third round with a strong jab but Fozilova responded from counter-attacking distance several times.
Chinese Taipei’s Guo Yu Xuan is only 19-year-old but she competed in two Olympic qualification events this year and she was too smart for Ukraine’s Olha Shalimova in the next women’s minimumweight (48kg) quarter-final bout. Vietnam’s Ngo Ngoc Linh Chi won the last quarter-final in the smallest female weight category, she eliminated Sri Lanka’s veteran Nadeeka Ranasingha Pushpakumari.
Thailand’s Chuthamat Raksat and China’s Strandja Memorial winner Hu Meiyi are the stars of the women’s light flyweight (50kg) in Chiang Mai but they had to meet each other already in the quarter-final stage of the championships. The Asian Games silver medallist Thai was patient in the first round against the 22-year-old Chinese and she took the advantage on the scorecards. The two-time Olympian Thai used her tricky style of boxing against the top Chinese boxer in their big chess game and she defeated the main rival already in the last 8.
Zinnat Ferdous began boxing in New York, United States only at the age of 27 but she picked up the sport with enthusiasm. She earned a silver medal at the Silesian Women’s Open Tournament during her preparation to Chiang Mai and she tried to be smarter than Vietnam’s Youth World bronze medallist Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tran today. Ferdous had good defensive skills and she launched nice uppercuts as well but due to the 20-year-old Nguyen’s great finish, the Vietnamese earned the medal.
Chinese Taipei’s Chiu Ching Yu is a 19-year-old talent who represents her nation in a major elite championship for the very first time. She had a tough job against Nepal’s more experienced Asmita Duwal but she managed to win that bout closely and she claimed another medal for Chinese Taipei.
Thailand’s Asian Youth silver medallist Natnicha Chongprongklang developed in terms of strength and speed rapidly which she combined with her brilliant technical skills. The 20-year-old local bantamweight (54kg) boxer controlled all of the three rounds against Ngo Thi Mai Chuc of Vietnam and she is now a medallist. China’s Xu Wenqian used her counter-attacking style of boxing against Kazakhstan’s Symbat Aliaskar and she succeeded in the last bout of the day.
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