Seventeen Asian finalists in the Strandja Memorial Tournament where Philippines and Kazakhstan produced perfect competition day
Europe’s biggest boxing event the Strandja Memorial Tournament turned to its semi-finals stage in the Bulgarian capital in Sofia where 16 women and 38 men boxers are attending from our Asian continent. 22 strong Asians are advanced to the semi-finals of the Strandja Memorial Tournament and among them 17 are finalists in Sofia.
China, India, Kazakhstan, Philippines, Chinese Taipei and Uzbekistan sent boxers to the 70th edition of the Strandja Memorial Tournament which is one of their preparation events before the ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships. Altogether 37 nations are attending in the Strandja Memorial Tournament which makes the Bulgarian event one of the biggest ones in the whole world.
The Indian woman team showed strong potential in the semi-finals
Manju Rani is the new Indian National Champion at the light flyweight (48kg) who defeated Bulgaria’s two-times EUBC European Women’s Youth Champion Emi-Mari Todorova in their hectic semi-final. Nikhat Zareen is a former AIBA Women’s Junior World Champion who also defeated a powerful European rival Poland’s Sandra Drabik at the flyweight (51kg). Following the two youngsters Maisnam Meena Kumari Devi used up all of her experiences to beat Russia’s Ekaterina Sycheva in the semi-final of the bantamweight (54kg).
Chinese Taipei’s Chen Nien Chin advanced to the final of the Strandja Memorial Tournament
Chinese Taipei’s AIBA Women’s World Champion and Rio 2016 Olympian Chen Nien Chin arrived to a European tour three weeks ago and she won the Golden Girl Box Championships in Sweden first and the Bocskai Memorial Tournament in Hungary as second. The 21-year-old Chen arrived to the Strandja Memorial Tournament as the main favourite for the gold medal at the women’s welterweight (69kg) and following her success over Norway’s Madeleine Angelsen, she was too smart also for India’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain.
The Filipino ladies are still perfect after the semi-finals in Sofia
Philippines sent three women boxers to the Strandja Memorial Tournament and in spite of the fact the event is one of the strongest ones in the whole world, all of them are advanced to the finals. Their AIBA Women’s World Champion Josie Gabuco, who eliminated Russia’s current EUBC European Women’s Champion Ekaterina Paltseva in the quarter-finals, continued her winning path in Sofia and eliminated Bulgaria’s 2016 EUBC European Women’s Champion Sevda Asenova. Her teammate Irish Magno advanced to the finals of the women’s flyweight (51kg) following her success over Greece’s Aikaterini Koutsogeorgopoulou who claimed silver medal in the last 2018 edition. Their third hope Aira Villegas proved tough developments in the recent one year and defeated Poland’s Natalia Rok at the bantamweight (54kg) where he final rival will be India’s Maisnam Meena Kumari Devi.
Kazakhstan proved also perfect performance in the semi-finals winning five contests
Amman 2013 ASBC Asian Champion Temirtas Zhussupov (49kg), WSB Team Champion veteran Zakir Safiullin (60kg), 19-year-old Sanatali Toltayev (64kg), Youth Olympic Games winner Ablaikhan Zhussupov (69kg), Rio 2016 Olympic Games silver medallist Vassiliy Levit (91kg) were the Kazakh semi-finalists in Sofia. All of them had to meet with competitive rivals but each of the five boxers won their semi-finals with strong performance in Sofia. Safiullin used his patient style and eliminated Uzbekistan’s Asian Games silver medallist Shunkor Abdurasulov in the semi-final of the lightweight (60kg).
A home Uzbek battle will be held in the final of the bantamweight (56kg)
Uzbekistan’s Islamic Solidarity Games winner Abdulkhay Sharakhmatov has done sensational job in the semi-final of the first bantamweight (56kg) and eliminated Russia’s Baku 2015 European Games winner Bakhtovar Nazirov. In the second semi-final of the category Asian Games winner Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov performed strongly against France’s Samuel Kistohurry which means the two top Uzbeks will be boxing for the title of the division. Uzbekistan’s Indian Open International Tournament winner 19-year-old Khudoynazar Fayzov and Jakarta 2018 Asian Games winner Bobo-Usmon Baturov (69kg) also advanced to the finals of the Strandja Memorial Tournament.
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