Zhakpekov, Toybay and Oralbay are the stars of the Omarov Youth Tournament in Taraz

The Kenes Omarov Youth Tournament was held in the city of Taraz where Kazakhstan’s top youth boxers shined in the competition. Their Children of Asia Games winner boxers as Yermakhan Zhakpekov, Damir Toybay and Aibek Oralbay all won their weight classes in the strong youth competition.
Taraz is located in the Southern part of Kazakhstan and famous of its strong combat sport traditions and boxing schools. The competition was held for the youth age group in Taraz and boxers who were born in 2000 or in 2001 were eligible to take part. More than 200 boxers attended in the Kenes Omarov Youth Tournament therefore the local organizers had to divide the participants into two groups in six weight classes.
The ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships will be held in Bangkok which will be the qualification event for the Youth Olympic Games and for the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships therefore the Omarov Youth Tournament was an important step on the road of their preparation.
The first gold medal was achieved by Dulat Amantayev who defeated his teammate Damir Manaubayev in the final of the pinweight (46kg) in Taraz. Timur Kabdeshov has got experiences from the junior and youth international competitions since 2016 therefore his success over Daulet Seidaliyev was not a surprise.
Kazakhstan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Champion Makhmud Sabyrkhan secured his next title following his triumph over Zuraddin Zandarov. Karim Serkebayev eliminated Uzbekistan’s Bekzodbek Isadullayev in the semi-final of the flyweight (52kg) and continued his winning path against host country’s Galym Mirzatayev in the final.
Kazakhstan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Champion Beybarys Zheksen is a top talent at the bantamweight (56kg) who was too strong for Aidos Medet and Aidos Yerzhanuly in the final stages of the Omarov Youth Tournament. The second group in this weight class was won by Askhat Tastanbek which was his career highlight.
Kazakhstan claimed two gold medals also at the lightweight (60kg) where Samat Begembayev defeated Azat Zhambirbay as first. Their second gold medal was achieved by Sultan Musinov who arrived from a boxing family and showed his strength against Kyrgyzstan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships silver medallist Umar Kubanychbek Uulu in the title contest. Kazakhstan’s youth No.1 in this weight class Rakhat Seitzhan was unable to get any medal in this category.
The next gold medal was achieved by Kazakhstan’s Yerkebulan Turap who showed great fighting spirit in the final of the light welterweight (64kg) against Nurdos Tolebay in Taraz. The second gold medal of this weight class was taken by Kazakhstan’s Madi Altynbayev who was slightly better in the final than Kyrgyzstan’s Children of Asia Games winner Ilgiz Matmusayev.
Children of Asia Games winner Yermakhan Zhakpekov reached the quarter-final in the Bangkok 2017 ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships but he was not satisfied with his performance in the continental event. The 17-year-old welterweight (69kg) boxer was too strong for Uzbekistan’s Zakirkhodja Madiyev in the final and proved his development since his last international appearance.
Uzbekistan’s Youth National Games silver medallist Alimardon Abdujabborov walked over Kazakhstan’s youth No.1 Nurbek Oralbay in the semi-final of the middleweight (75kg) and defeated another top talent ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Champion Kuandyk Maksut in the gold medal contest.
Kazakhstan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Champion Sagyndyk Togambay joined to the youth age group in January but he was too powerful for Shynarbek Batinuly in the next final. Kazakhstan’s Children of Asia Games winner Aibek Oralbay moved back to his original heavyweight (91kg) in spite of the fact he is relatively small in that category but he was able to beat ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Championships bronze medallist Arnur Akhmetzhanov for the title in Taraz.
The Children of Asia Games winner 17-year-old Damir Toybay is a strong super heavyweight (+91kg) boxer who is a top future hope in Kazakhstan. Their former Sydney 2000 Olympic Champion Mr. Yermakhan Ibraimov believes he could be their new star in the king weight class. Toybay eliminated Kyrgyzstan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Championships bronze medallist Akhmed Usupov and stopped also Kazakhstan’s Ilyas Musayev with his lethal combinations.

List of the winners in the Kenes Omarov Youth Tournament
46kg: Dulat Amantayev, Kazakhstan
49kg, Group A: Timur Kabdeshov, Kazakhstan
49kg, Group B: Makhmud Sabyrkhan, Kazakhstan
52kg: Karim Serkebayev, Kazakhstan
56kg, Group A: Beybarys Zheksen, Kazakhstan
56kg, Group B: Askhat Tastanbek, Kazakhstan
60kg, Group A: Samat Begembayev, Kazakhstan
60kg, Group B: Sultan Musinov, Kazakhstan
64kg, Group A: Yerkebulan Turap, Kazakhstan
64kg, Group B: Madi Altynbayev, Kazakhstan
69kg, Group A: Yermakhan Zhakpekov, Kazakhstan
69kg, Group B: Arman Saylau, Kazakhstan
75kg: Alimardon Abdujabborov, Uzbekistan
75kg, Group B: Dinmukhamed Akhmetzhanov, Kazakhstan
81kg: Sagyndyk Togambay, Kazakhstan
91kg: Aibek Oralbay, Kazakhstan
+91kg: Damir Toybay, Kazakhstan