Zareen and Sabyrkhan were fantastic in the semi-finals of the Strandja Memorial Tournament
The Asian boxers amazed in the semi-finals of the 73rd Strandja Memorial Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria on Day6. India, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan will introduce boxers in the finals of the strong international tournament which is a Golden Gloves IBA event. India’s Nikhat Zareen eliminated a top rival in Sofia but Kazakhstan’s Makhmud Sabyrkhan has done the strong job in the men’s event.
The Strandja Memorial is Europe’s oldest international boxing tournament and has a strong brand name therefore high number of stars decided to attend in the event. IBA arranged the money prizes and boxers could earn new world ranking points in the 73rd Strandja Memorial Tournament.
Strong Asian teams as India, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan are attending at the upcoming Strandja Memorial Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria, which is one of the most exciting competitions in the world. The new 73rd Strandja Memorial Tournament is the first from the World Boxing Tour’s Golden Gloves Series and take place between February 18 and 28 in Sofia.
Impressive number of 39 nations registered to attend in the new edition of the Strandja Memorial Tournament in Sofia. The competition will be also a preparation event for the upcoming big goals as the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships and many other continental events.
India’s first finalist is Nitu at the minimumweight (48kg)
India’s AIBA Women’s Youth World Champion Nitu Ghanghas proved strong developments in her quarter-final against Italy’s Roberta Bonatti which bout she won by large margin of differences. The 21-year-old Indian met with another European boxer in the semi-finals, Ukraine’s Hanna Okhota who achieved silver medal at the 2018 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in New Delhi. The Indian minimumweight (48kg) boxer used Okhota’s faults to land clear punches in the first round. Nitu controlled the second round too in their semi-final and overcame her Ukrainian opponent in the attacks which means she can meet for the title with Italy’s young Erika Prisciandaro.
Kazakhstan’s first finalist is Nazym Kyzaibay in Sofia
Kazakhstan’s two-time AIBA Women’s World Champion Nazym Kyzaibay had difficult years following her titles but she arrived to Sofia in top shape and she is now stronger than ever. Her technical skills are amazing and she showed her progress in the recent bouts but she had a tough test in the semi-finals against France’s EUBC European U22 Champion Romane Moulai. The French girl adopted the speed of the contest in the first minutes but Kyzaibay was able to increase the tempo and landed nice shots in the second round. The Kazakh girl controlled the second part of their semi-final and will now meet with Algeria’s Roumayssa Boualem in the final of the light flyweight (50kg).
India’s Nikhat Zareen eliminated a star boxer in the semi-finals
India’s Nikhat Zareen was AIBA Women’s Junior World Champion in 2011 and since then she attended in several big championships and tournaments. Zareen competes at the flyweight (52kg) in Sofia and eliminated a Tokyo Olympian boxer, England’s Charley Davison in the quarter-finals of the weight category. The Indian expected a hard battle against Turkey’s Olympic Games silver medallist Busenaz Cakiroglu and she surprised her opponent with her speed in the first round. Zareen pressurized the European Games winner Turkish boxer and she worked hard in all of the three rounds. The 26-year-old Indian delivered one of her best ever performances and she eliminated one of the gold medal favourites.
Kazakhstan’s Dina Zholaman amazed in the semi-final
Kazakhstan’s Dina Zholaman was gold medallist at the Astana 2016 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships and she has 12 years of international experiences but she is still hungry to get more titles. She prepared strongly in the recent months following her next national gold medal and arrived to the Strandja Memorial Tournament in strong shape. The Kazakh boxer faced with Italy’s EUBC European U22 Champion Sirine Charaabi who eliminated two stars in the previous stages. Zholaman changed her angles several times to find Charaabi’s weak points and following her successful mission, she can now meet for the title with Bulgaria’s former AIBA Women’s World Champion Stanimira Petrova.
Damir Abdikadyr vs. Hasanboy Dusmatov for the title of the flyweight
Kazakhstan’s Damir Abdikadyr is not their most experienced boxer yet but he proved amazing fighting skills in the whole Strandja Memorial Tournament. The Kazakh boxer advanced to the semi-finals with good performance and he met with Russia’s Volodya Mnatsakanyan. The Russian boxer was more experienced in such kind of battles and he had some advantages after three minutes in their flyweight (51kg) semi-final. Abdikadyr has done a fantastic job in the middle of their contest, he used his longer hands more effectively following their tactical change. Abdikadyr dominated the third round too and marched to the final of the tournament achieving his career highlight. He will face in the final with Uzbekistan’s Olympic Games winner Hasanboy Dusmatov who bowed out Kazakhstan’s Timur Kabdeshov in the second semi-final.
Kazakhstan’s Makhmud Sabyrkhan eliminated the Bulgarian favourite
Kazakhstan’s AIBA World Boxing Championships silver medallist Makhmud Sabyrkhan arrived to the Strandja Memorial Tournament as favourite of the men’s bantamweight (54kg) which is the strongest category of the host nation. Sabyrkhan faced in the semi-final with Bulgaria’s two-time EUBC European Champion Daniel Asenov who had a few unexpected losses in the recent years. Asenov gave in everything and landed strong hooks but Sabyrkhan was quicker today and handled most of the challenges against a top rival. The Kazakh boy joined to the final of the category with an outstanding success and will now meet for the title with another Bulgarian, 19-year-old Yasen Radev.
Uzbekistan’s Abdumalik Khalakov is finalist once again in a big event
Uzbekistan’s Abdumalik Khalakov won the big three in 2018 as a youth boxer and after a few years of experiences as elite, he claimed silver medal at the 2021 AIBA Men’s World Boxing Championships. The 21-year-old Uzbek enjoyed his contests at the featherweight (57kg) in Sofia which is his new category. Khalakov had to meet with Russia’s EUBC European Champion Vsevolod Shumkov in the semi-final and he had a competitive rival this time. The Russian was aggressive and tried to fight but Khalakov used his excellent technical skills and has done a superb final round to beat Shumkov by unanimous decision.
Aslonov and Saidrakhimov both advanced to the finals in the heavier weights
Uzbekistan’s Odiljon Aslonov was patient in the recent years and after his hard training sessions the 26-year-old boxer selected to the national team. Aslonov had nice successes during his road to the semi-finals at the light heavyweight (80kg) but he had to do his very best to beat the new Italian hope in this category, Alfred Commey. World Military Games winner Madiyar Saidrakhimov had also a tough rival in the sixth day of boxing, Kazakhstan’s Abzal Kuttybekov who eliminated such star Spain’s Emmanuel Reyes. The Uzbek boxer gave in everything to the decisive third round and he won their narrow contest at the heavyweight (92kg) in Sofia.
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