Tsutsumi, Laurente, Wangkhlaklang and Khalokov are the heroes at the ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships on Day2
The ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships continued with 31 spectacular bouts in Bangkok where the competition was running smoothly in two sessions. Japan’s AIBA Youth World Champion Hayato Tsutsumi, Philippines’ Children of Asia Games winner Criztian Pitt Laurente, Thailand’s Pluem Wangkhlaklang and Uzbekistan’s Abdumalik Khalokov proved the best performances of the day.
Altogether 120 male boxers from 23 countries are taking part for the medals in the ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships in Bangkok. Uzbekistan, Iran, India, Kazakhstan, China, Thailand, Japan, Philippines and Kyrgyzstan were the best nations but Syria also won a bout on Day2.
Flyweight (52kg):
Uzbekistan’s Abdumalik Khalokov eliminated Thailand’s Niwat Khitwanna in the first preliminary round and advanced to the last 16. He had to box in the first bout of the second competition day once again but he looked fresh against China’s Pan Zhenhang. The 17-year-old Uzbek boxer felt the tempo well enough and overcame his Chinese rival in the attacks. Khalokov’s jabs were dangerous for the quick Chinese athlete who also gave in everything to their top contest. The Uzbek boxer won the bout by unanimous decision and will be meeting with Kyrgyzstan’s AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Temirlan Nurlan Uulu who eliminated Laos’ Viengxay Akhalith.
South Korea’s Children of Asia Games silver medallist Choi Do Hyun tried to use his longer reach in the first round against Philippines’ Milenino Anduyan in the first round. Both boxers were born in 2000 and spending their first year in the youth level but they are already experienced in the international level. The Korean boxer began the bout better but Anduyan’s hooks worked well in the second round. The Filipino boxer was able to turn back their contest with superb performance in the second part of the bout and advanced to the last eight.
Japan’s ASBC Asian Junior Champion Ryutaro Nakagaki regained his place in the national team following his tough teammate AIBA Youth World Champion Hayato Tsutsumi moved up one weight class. The 17-year-old Japanese boxer moved more on feet than his opponent, Sri Lanka’s Lasindu Eranda Kuda Vithanage and his counter-attacks worked well in the whole contest. The Sri Lankan boxer attacked bravely but the Japanese talent was enough strong also from closer distance and won their contest in Bangkok.
Iraq’s Yahya Husham Sami Eskander tried to use his longer reach against India’s Youth National Championships bronze medallist Sudeep Kumar in the first round of their close bout. The Iraqi boxer’s single jabs worked well in the opening minutes but his Indian rival moved ahead aggressively in the second round. Kumar stepped into the gas and his close distance punches were enough to beat his talented Iraqi rival in Bangkok.
Kazakhstan’s AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Aibek Dossanov eliminated his first rival in the opening competition day and met with Vietnam’s Youth National Champion and top youth boxer Vo Xuan Hai on Day 2. The 17-year-old Kazakh boxer did not have an easy job against his Vietnamese rival who also did nice things in the ring. Dossanov worked much better in the second round and dominated the third therefore the referee confirmed his RSC success.
Bantamweight (56kg):
Philippines’ Criztian Pitt Laurente was gold medallist in the Children of Asia Games in Yakutsk, Russia one year ago and he was named as the Best Asian Junior Boxer of the Year in 2016. The Filipino pride had to meet with one of his main rival Kyrgyzstan’s Bekzat Sattarkhanov Youth Memorial Tournament silver medallist Sanzhar Seidakmatov. The Kyrgyz boxer controlled the middle part of the ring while Laurente worked from longer distance and his style was based on counter-attacks. The Filipino boxer did his very best in the third round and he was able to beat his top Kyrgyz rival by split decision.
Thailand’s ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships bronze medallist Pluem Wangkhlaklang started slowly against China’s Liu Qiming in the first round and raised the tempo in the second. The promising Thai star moved ahead more from the second round and after his tough blow the referee counted the Chinese boxer. The host nation’s top youth boxer enjoyed the bout in the third round and his tricky style delivered to him a place in the quarter-finals where his next opponent will be Iran’s Ashkan Rezaei who stopped Qatar’s newcomer Abdul Rahman Saleh Al-Khulaifi.
Uzbekistan’s Youth National Games winner Zoyirjon Jumanazarov received the right at the very first time to compete for his country in a major event. The Beket Makhmutov Youth Cup bronze medallist Uzbek talent had a competitive rival in the first round, Syria’s Adyb Habra. The Uzbek boxer raised his tempo and knocked down his younger Syrian rival in the second round and after that moment Jumanazarov dominated their contest. The Chyrchyk-based boxer advanced to the quarter-final where his next opponent will be Kazakhstan’s Youth National Games winner Bakhtiyar Smagulov.
Japan’s defending AIBA Youth World Champion and ASBC Asian Youth Champion Hayato Tsutsumi had a very aggressive opponent, South Korea’s High School National Champion Lee Tae Min in the first round of their top bout. After the equal first minute Tsutsumi caught the Korean on body and the referee counted Lee in the end of the opening round. Tsutsumi attacked seriously in the second round and the Korean ringside abandoned their unequal fight.
Lightweight (60kg):
India’s Ankit was born only in 2000 but his efforts were enough to reach the youth national team in his first year in the age group. The Haryana-based Indian talent moved forward without any stoppage therefore the referee counted twice his opponent, Indonesia’s Mohammad Reza Midun. The Indian boxer continued his top performance in the second round and won their bout before the final gong.
Kazakhstan’s AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships silver medallist Samatali Toltayev had to meet as opening with one of the best Chinese youth boxers, Wang Xiangyang in Bangkok. Samatali Toltayev, who will be turning to 18 only in November, controlled the first round with his attacking style and caught his tough Chinese opponent several times. The promising Kazakh star pressurized his Chinese rival from the first seconds and won the contest finally by split decision.
Light welterweight (64kg):
Kazakhstan’s Sanatali Toltayev is Samatali’s twin brother who also had amazing junior and youth successes in the recent two years. The Almaty-based boxer had to meet with India’s tough Akash who won his debuting contest in the first preliminary day in Bangkok. The Kazakh talent had a competitive rival in the first round and Toltayev had to do his very best against Akash. The Indian boxer had excellent counter-attacks in their narrow bout which was won by the effective Toltayev by 3:2.
Syria’s best and most experienced youth boxer Ammar Haidar competed in the last edition of the ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships and his experiences paid-off in the first round against Iraq’s Talib Jabbar Ridha who is spending his first year among the youth boxers. The 18-year-old Syrian was the attacker in their contest and controlled the middle of the ring in the opening two rounds against his talented Iraqi rival who also launched successful punches. Ammar had successful attacks near to the corner and his great run in the third round was enough to win his difficult bout.
Thailand’s ASEAN Youth Boxing Championships winner Bannaphon Pannon moved ahead confidently and launched several successful punches in the first round against Qatar’s Meshaal Al-Mahdi who moved up to the light welterweight (64kg) only in the recent weeks. The Thai talent, whose father is two-time Olympian Suban Pannon, dominated his first bout in Bangkok and stopped his Qatari opponent in the second round.
Uzbekistan’s AIBA Junior World Champion and ASBC Asian Youth Champion Bilolbek Mirzarakhimov was patient in the first round against Singapore’s Velvan Tan Jun Jie who was competitive to the Central Asian star in the opening minutes. The Uzbek boxer launched better punches in the second and third rounds which meant he could win his debuting contest by unanimous decision. The internationally inexperienced boxer from Singapore exceeded the expectations with his fighting spirit and technique.
Welterweight (69kg):
Kazakhstan’s Children of Asia Games winner Yermakhan Zhakpekov ruled the middle part of the ring against Indonesia’s Alfino Caesar Nanlohy in the opening round of their contest. Zhakpekov, who will be turning to 17 only later this year, moved ahead with confident style and shocked Nanlohy with his strong punches in the second round. Following one his lethal punch the Iranian referee confirmed Zhakpekov’s RSC success in the middle of the bout.
Iran’s Agalarov Youth Memorial Tournament quarter-finalist Mohammad Asgari worked better in the first round than Iraq’s Mosa Sameer Al-Lami and tried to use his longer hands. Al-Lami, who came from a boxing family, reduced the fighting distance more times in the second round and he felt the rhythm better in that period. Asgari increased his rhythm in the third round and his efforts delivered for him a place at the welterweight (69kg).