Zhetysu Youth Cup

New youth stars shine in the Zhetysu Youth Cup
Kazakhstan’s main international youth tournament the Zhetysu Youth Cup was held in the city of Taldykorgan which is located in the Almaty region of the huge country. Kazakhstan claimed nine gold medals in the event while their strong neighbouring country Uzbekistan took one top position in the Zhetysu Youth Cup.
Boxers who were born in 1998 and in 1999 were eligible to compete in the Zhetysu Youth Cup which means the tournament was scheduled for the boxers who will be in the youth age group in 2016. ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships and AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships will be held in 2016 and these athletes can take part there.
The competition was held in eleven weight classes as the local organizers still added the 46 kg weight class where Almaty region’s Daulet Aytkozhanov claimed the first gold medal of the tournament. Kazakhstan’s Serikov Youth Tournament winner Vasiliy Samchuk, who trains in the city of Shakhtinsk, lost to Orazbek Asylkulov in the final of the Bekzat Sattarkhanov Youth Memorial Tournament but this time the result of their contest was the opposite.
Rayimbek Tursynbay moved up two weight classes since January but he was able to defend his throne in the Zhetysu Youth Cup. The 17-year-old boxer defeated Ernest Kokombayev in the final of the Flyweight class (52 kg) while Uzbekistan’s Youth National Champion tough Javlonbek Eshmatov and Kyrgyzstan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships bronze medallist Fatkhidin Khamroyev secured bronze medals in the strong competition.
Kazakhstan’s Nurlan Konirbay was too strong for Uzbekistan’s 17-year-old Sanjar Soliyev in the final of the Bantamweight class (56 kg) which delivered the third gold medal of the host nation. Kazakhstan’s Azat Sekhimbayev proved his skills once again when he defeated Kyrgyzstan’s Junior National Champion 16-year-old Mayrambek Kaykiyev in the final of the Lightweight class (60 kg) which was a spectacular battle.
Ayatulla Takizhanov of Pavlodar secured the next gold medal in the Zhetysu Youth Cup where he defeated his younger opponent, ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships bronze medallist Aybol Zhambirbay of Almaty Region. Oleg Matveychuk, who trains also in the Almaty Region, defeated Zhasulan Alpamish of Taraz while Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships silver medallist Dilshodbek Ruzmetov claimed only bronze medal in the Welterweight class (69 kg).
Rising hope Akimzhan Yerzhanuly defeated Kazakh Youth National Championships quarter-finalist Andrei Koshanchik in the final of the Middleweight class (75 kg) while Karagandy’s Miroshnichenko Junior Tournament bronze medallist Amir Makhmetov claimed only a bronze medal this time.
Uzbekistan’s first finalist was their Youth National Championships silver medallist Muronshokh Mavlonov who defeated by Kazakhstan’s Yerasyl Serikov in the final of the Light Heavyweight class (81 kg) while China’s Xinjiang-based 16-year-old Maimaiti Maierdan secured a valuable bronze in the event.
Uzbekistan’s current Youth National Champion 17-year-old Shokhruz Rakhimov won their lone gold medal in the event. The Heavyweight class (91 kg) boxer was too strong for Kazakhstan’s Dulat Alkenov in the final while China’s Rimola, who bagged bronze in Taldykorgan, shocked Uzbekistan’s defending ASBC Asian Junior Champion Profsor Rorimsha in the preliminary stage of the event. Karagandy-based Rustem Bayeshev, who took part in the 2014 Heydar Aliyev Junior Cup in Baku, defeated his teammate Ontalap Rakhmanov in the last final of the Zhetysu Youth Cup.

Winners in the Zhetysu Youth Cup
46 kg: Daulet Aytkozhanov, Kazakhstan
49 kg: Vasiliy Samchuk, Kazakhstan
52 kg: Rayimbek Tursynbay, Kazakhstan
56 kg: Nurlan Konirbay, Kazakhstan
60 kg: Azat Sekhimbayev, Kazakhstan
64 kg: Ayatulla Takizhanov, Kazakhstan
69 kg: Oleg Matveychuk, Kazakhstan
75 kg: Akimzhan Yerzhanuly, Kazakhstan
81 kg: Yerasyl Serikov, Kazakhstan
91 kg: Shokhruz Rakhimov, Uzbekistan
+91 kg: Rustem Bayeshev, Kazakhstan