3 years ago on this day – Sora Tanaka shined in the Puerto Princesa 2017 ASBC Asian Junior Boxing Championships
The finals were held in the 2017 edition ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships in Puerto Princesa, Philippines on this day three years ago. Japan’s super talented powerful Sora Tanaka was awarded the Best Boxer Trophy while Kazakhstan claimed six gold medals in the event and topped the team standings.
The continent’s best junior boxers fought each other in the ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships in the island of Palawan from all regions of Asia. Boxers who were born in 2001 and in 2002 were eligible to take part in the 2017 ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships in Puerto Princesa at the City Coliseum.
Altogether 138 junior boxers from 18 nations took part in the ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships in the Philippines. Twelve countries achieved at least one medal in the competition and nine represented the finals.
Philippines’ Kenneth De La Pena competed only in national events previously but his fighting spirit was enough for him to beat India’s favourite Selay Soy in the quarter-final of the pinweight (46kg) which was his key contest. The 16-year-old talent felt the support of the crowd and he was motivated against Kazakhstan’s Akylbek Mukhtarov in the final. De La Pena launched successful hooks and jabs in the whole bout therefore he became the first champion in Puerto Princesa.
Kazakhstan’s Junior National Champion Makhmud Sabyrkhan was not the main gold medal contender of the light flyweight (48kg) but he did enough to advance to the final of the category. The 16-year-old Kazakh talent tried to overcome Japan’s Toshiya Yano in the final and his strong heart delivered for him a title in Puerto Princesa. The final verdict was split decision to Sabyrkhan who achieved his career highlight in the event.
De La Pena’s teammate 15-year-old John Vincent Pangga had extremely hard road to the final but he was able to handle all of his issues in Puerto Princesa. Pangga, who has been spending his first year in the junior age group, had to meet with Thailand’s Sarawut Sukthet for the title of the flyweight (50kg). Pangga ruled the middle of the ring and tried catch his quick Thai rival in the final with his patient style. Pangga was tactically strong in the bout and secured the second title for the Philippines in Puerto Princesa.
Kazakhstan’s Children of Asia Games silver medallist Biybars Zheksen used his counter-attacking style against Uzbekistan’s Asadkhudja Muydinkhodjayev in the final of the light bantamweight (52kg). The Kazakh boxer defeated Uzbekistan’s No.1 Asadkhudja Muydinkhodjayev in the Heydar Aliyev Junior Cup in Azerbaijan in June 2017 and he was able to repeat the same strong performance and celebrated his gold after the final gong.
Kazakhstan’s Aitzhan Ashirkhan moved up two weight classes in the recent half year but he adopted the level of the bantamweight (54kg) so quickly. The 16-year-old Kazakh talent demonstrated his power against Uzbekistan’s Rakhmatullo Toshpulatov in the final of the ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships. Ashirkhan knocked down his Uzbek opponent in the first round which determined their contest and Kazakhstan claimed their third gold medal in Puerto Princesa.
Uzbekistan’s experienced Javlonbek Yuldashev and South Korea’s Goh Seong Hun used different style of boxing in the final of the featherweight (57kg) in Puerto Princesa. The Uzbek boxer attacked from the first seconds and tried to reduce the fighting distance from the opening round. The South Korean boxer’s counter-attacking style was successful only in the first round but after Yuldashev’s tactical change the Uzbek talent dominated their contest.
Japan’s Hayato Tsutsumi achieved the title in the 2016 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in St. Petersburg and also in the 2016 and 2017 editions of the ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships. His younger brother Reito Tsutsumi did enough in the final of the lightweight (60kg) against Kazakhstan’s Bekzat Yerimbet before his 15th birthday and secured his first ever international title.
Uzbekistan’s Nurislom Ismoilov was involved to the junior national team only before the start of the event but the 15-year-old talent proved he is a fantastic boxer. The Uzbek athlete tried to attack from the first seconds against Kyrgyzstan’s Heydar Aliyev Junior Cup bronze medallist Umar Kubanychbek Uulu in the final of their light welterweight (63kg) and his effective style was enough to win the title of the event.
Japan’s next sensational performance was delivered by Sora Tanaka who demonstrated his power against Uzbekistan’s Asadbek Jumaniyazov in Puerto Princesa. The Japanese welterweight (66kg) boxer is one of the most powerful punchers in the whole Asian continent in his age group and these shots were too dangerous or Uzbekistan’s Urgench-based Asadbek Jumaniyazov. The Japanese boxer dominated the contest and Tanaka secured his first big international title following his sensational performance.
Kazakhstan’s 15-year-old Yerassyl Zhakpekov came from a strong boxing family who met for the title of the light middleweight (70kg) with Iraq’s Children of Asia Games silver medallist Sajjad Ali Saleh Saleem. The Kazakh boxer, who was born only in 2002, launched a serious right-handed hook in the first round which delivered for him a classical KO success in the tenth final of the ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships.
Kazakhstan’s Kuandyk Maksut eliminated the main gold medal contender of the middleweight (75kg) in Puerto Princesa, Uzbekistan’s Madiyar Rejepov in the quarter-final but he had to meet against another top athlete, South Korea’s Kwak Min Hyuk in the final of the event. The Kazakh boxer could box from his best fighting distance and his efficient style was enough to win his title in the ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships.
Kazakhstan’s powerful Sagyndyk Togambay was amazing in the whole competition and tried to overcome India’s Mohit’s attacks in the final of the light heavyweight (80kg). The Kazakh boxer was confident and after the strong second round he played with his Indian opponent well in the final minutes. His confidence and fabulous performance delivered Kazakhstan’s sixth gold medal in the ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships.
Uzbekistan’s Shokhrukh Almatov won the gold medal in the Heydar Aliyev Junior Cup in Azerbaijan two months before the start of the event and arrived as favourite of the heavyweight (+80kg) to Puerto Princesa. The 15-year-old Uzbek boxer boxed for the title with India’s Satender Singh who was more than a competitive rival for him. Almatov launched more punches in the event and his tactical skills were enough to beat India’s Junior National Champion.
List of the winners in the ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships
46kg: Kenneth De La Pena, Philippines
48kg: Makhmud Sabyrkhan, Kazakhstan 50kg: John Vincent Pangga, Philippines 52kg: Biybars Zheksen, Kazakhstan 54kg: Aitzhan Ashirkhan, Kazakhstan
57kg: Javlonbek Yuldashev, Uzbekistan
60kg: Reito Tsutsumi, Japan 63kg: Nurislom Ismoilov, Uzbekistan 66kg: Sora Tanaka, Japan 70kg: Yerassyl Zhakpekov, Kazakhstan 75kg: Kuandyk Maksut, Kazakhstan 80kg: Sagyndyk Togambay, Kazakhstan +80kg: Shokhrukh Almatov, Uzbekistan
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