Uzbekistan’s Olympic heroes delivered memorable performance in the quarter-finals in Tashkent
The ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships continued with 40 quarter-final contests in the Uzbek capital in Tashkent where the winners are now guaranteed medallists. Uzbekistan’s Olympic heroes such as Hasanboy Dusmatov, Shakhram Giyasov, Murodjon Akhmadaliev and Bektemir Melikuziev delivered remarkable performance today.
Following the preliminaries of the ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships 20 nations are remained in actions with at least one boxer. After the quarter-finals 13 countries were able to get at least one medal in Tashkent:
– Uzbekistan: 9 medals
– Kazakhstan: 8 medals
– India, Mongolia: 4 medals
– China, South Korea: 3 medals
– Philippines, Syria: 2 medals
– Iran, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan: 1 medal
Light flyweight (49kg):
Uzbekistan’s star Rio 2016 Olympic Champion Hasanboy Dusmatov had a great opening against Sri Lanka’s Thiwanka Ranasinghe in the first preliminary round and he was able to do better in the quarter-final. Dusmatov controlled all of the rounds against Kazakhstan’s new national team member Yerzhan Zhomart who competed also in the World Series of Boxing. The Uzbek boxer had quick jabs and his hooks also worked well in the bout which meant Dusmatov was able to eliminate the first Kazakh athlete in Tashkent.
India’s new National Champion Amit Panghal was slightly better than his Indonesian rival, Cornelis Kwangu Langu and advanced to the semi-final. Mongolia’s Rio 2016 Olympian Gankhuyag Gan-Erdene and Philippines’ Doha 2015 AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Rogen Ladon also secured their places in the last four.
Flyweight (52kg):
The AIBA World Boxing Championships silver medallist experienced Uzbek boxer Jasurbek Latipov eliminated Pakistan’s Syed Muhammad Asif and Kyrgyzstan’s ASBC Asian Champion Azat Usenaliev in the second preliminary round but he delivered his best performance just in the quarter-final against India’s Kavinder Bisht Singh who eliminated Indonesia’s Aldoms Suguro in the previous round.
Kazakhstan’s Azamat Issakulov competed at the 2011 ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships and after a few years he returned to the national team. Kazakhstan’s National Champion eliminated Thailand’s Tanes Ongjunta and met with Malaysia’s Terengganu-based Abdul Salam Kasim in the quarter-finals. The Kazakh boxer controlled their contest from the first seconds and advanced to the last four in Tashkent. Philippines’ Dannel Maamo defeated Sri Lanka’s Seneviratne Bandara while South Korea’s Kim In Kyu advanced as fourth to the semi-final due Japan’s Ryusei Baba’s injury in the second round.
Bantamweight (56kg):
Uzbekistan’s Murodjon Akhmadaliev claimed medals in all important events during his career and he is competing for the gold medal of the weight class. The Uzbek boxer did not give any chance to Bhutan’s Dorji Nima in their quarter-final bout which was the first in the morning session. Bhutan’s coach abandoned their contest in the second round which meant Akhmadaliev qualified for the Hamburg 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships and he is now a guaranteed medallist in Tashkent.
South Korea’s Han Young Hun defeated Indonesia’s Simon Makarawe in the second bout of the weight class today. Kazakhstan’s AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Kairat Yeraliyev and Japan’s Ryomei Tanaka did great promotion of boxing and finally the Central Asian was able to win their contest. China’s two-time Asian Games silver medallist Zhang Jiawei became the fourth who advanced to the quarter-final following his tight win over India’s Gaurav Bidhuri.
Lightweight class (60kg):
Mongolia’s Incheon 2014 Asian Games winner and ASBC Asian Champion Otgondalai Dorjnyambuu did not deliver his best ever performance in the first preliminary round against Sri Lanka’s multiple National Champion Gayan Sanjeeva Jayaweera Naiduralage but he was much better against Kazakhstan’s National Champion Adilet Kurmetov in the quarter-final of the event. The Mongolian star dominated the first round when Kurmetov injured therefore the judges picked Dorjnyambuu as the winner of the bout.
China’s Rio 2016 Olympian Shan Jun exceeded the expectations when he eliminated Japan’s Arashi Morisaka who was the favourite of their contest. India’s two-time Olympian Shiva Thapa had a difficult bout against Chinese Taipei’s Lai Chu En but his experiences were enough to solve that tactical issue. Uzbekistan’s WSB star Elnur Abduraimov spent less than two rounds in the ring when the referee confirmed his RSC success over Indonesia’s 24-year-old Farrand Papendang.
Light welterweight (64kg):
Mongolia’s Chinzorig Baatarsukh was seeded as No.1 in this weight class who was involved to their top team in 2014. Since then he became one of the best Mongolian boxer who is using his speed to beat his opponents. Baatarsukh launched powerful punches in the first round against Indonesia’s Saroha Tua Lumbantobing who is an inexperienced boxer in the international level yet. The Mongolian boxer felt the rhythm in the whole bout and secured his place in the semi-finals of the category.
Kyrgyzstan’s Nurlan Kobashev controlled his quarter-final against China’s Wang Gang and his efforts were enough to advance to the semi-finals in Tashkent. Uzbekistan’s AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Ikboljon Kholdarov was quick and concentrated against Chinese Taipei’s Pan Hung Ming while his speed delivered for him a KO success in the second round. Kazakhstan’s Bekdaulet Ibragimov became the fourth semi-finalist in this weight class following his triumph over Sri Lanka’s Dinidu Saparamadu.
Welterweight (69kg):
Uzbekistan’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games silver medallist and AIBA Asian & Oceanian Olympic Qualification Event winner Shakhram Giyasov met for the guaranteed medal with South Korea’s Lee Seung Hyeon and enjoyed the bout already in the first round. The 24-year-old Uzbek star felt the tempo well enough against the brave Korean boxer and after the second counting Lee’s ringside abandoned their quarter-final.
Iran’s Sajjad Kazemzadeh worked well in the first round against Syria’s ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships bronze medallist Ahmad Ghossoun who eliminated Qatar’s Rio 2016 Olympian Thulasi Tharumalingam in a spectacular contest still in the preliminary stage. The Iranian boxer knocked down the Syrian youngster and he will have the chance to box against the Uzbek star in the semi-finals.
Middleweight (75kg):
India’s two-time Olympian and Asian Games winner Vikas Krishan Yadav saved fuels for later actions but his efforts were enough to beat Indonesia’s Bram Hendra Betaubun who is a new sensation in the weight class. The Indian boxer will now meet with South Korea’s Lee Dong Yun who had a surprise win over Turkmenistan’s Azizbek Achilov in the second quarter-final of the weight class.
Kazakhstan’s unbeaten WSB star and National Champion Abilkhan Amankul did not give any chance to Syria’s Abdelmouen Aziz and the referee confirmed his quick RSC success in the first round. Uzbekistan’s Israil Madrimov, who is unbeaten in all level since November 2015, launched serious punches against Philippines’ ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships silver medallist Eumir Felix Marcial and became the fourth semi-finalist.
Light heavyweight (81kg):
Uzbekistan’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games silver medallist Bektemir Melikuziev enjoyed his opening bout against Iran’s Amin Ziadi and met with Tajikistan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships silver medallist Shabbos Negmatulloev in the quarter-final of the event. The Uzbek star had to do much more this time to beat the younger Tajik talent who will be turning to 20 only later this year. The defending champion Melikuziev advanced to the semi-final of the championships according to his plan.
China’s Huang Jiabin did not give any chance to Malaysia’s National Cup winner Adil Hafiz Mohamed Pauzi and will now meet with the Uzbek star in the semi-final. Turkmenistan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships silver medallist Nuryagdy Nuryagdyyev moved up to the light heavyweight (81kg) and dominated his fight against India’s Manish Panwar. The fourth semi-finalist in this weight class is Kazakhstan’s Yerik Alzhanov who eliminated Pakistan’s Awais Ali Khan.
Heavyweight (91kg):
Kazakhstan’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games silver medallist Vassiliy Levit and Uzbekistan’s Sanjar Tursunov did a great show in the morning session of the championships today. Their contest was one of the best and most anticipated one and the two boxers gave absolutely everything in. Levit had a few difficulties in the first round but he was able to catch his younger and quicker Uzbek rival in the second part of the bout. The final verdict was unanimous decision to Levit who eliminated the first Uzbek boxer in Tashkent.
Syria’s Alaaldin Ghossoun moved up to the heavyweight (91kg) and used his speed to beat Iran’s Salar Gholami in the second bout of the division. India’s Sumit Sangwan was more effective than China’s Yu Fengkai and he also advanced to the semi-finals of the category. Tajikistan’s two-time Olympian and Asian Games winner Jakhon Qurbonov impressed the crowd with his effective punches against Pakistan’s Sanaullah.
Super heavyweight (+91kg):
Uzbekistan’s Bakhodir Jalolov used his longer reach against South Korea’s Kim Do Hyeon in the first round and besides to his jabs he attacked more than last year in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The 200cm tall Uzbek boxer, who was the flag bearer of their delegation in the Opening Ceremony in Rio de Janeiro, knocked down his Korean rival in the second round and their ringside abandoned the unequal contest.
Syria’s Mohamed Mulayes repeated Jalolov’s performance, he was able to beat Sri Lanka’s Buwaneka Addurakaram by RSC in the second round. Kazakhstan’s WSB hero Kamshybek Kunkabayev was enough strong today to beat India’s Satish Kumar in the quarter-final and advanced to the last four in Tashkent. The fourth remaining boxer in this weight class is Jordan’s Hussein Iashaish who used his speed to beat China’s Mu Haipeng in the last bout of the fourth competition day.