Five World Champions will fight for Kazakhstan in Busto Arsizio
Kazakhstan finalized its travelling team for the upcoming 1st World Olympic Boxing Qualifying Event to Busto Arsizio, Italy which will start with its first competition day on March 3. The powerful team contains five World Champions, Asian Champions and an Olympic medallist from Tokyo.
Kazakhstan bagged only two quota places for the Paris Olympics through the Asian Games, their Karina Ibragimova (women’s 57kg) and Kamshybek Kunkabayev (men’s +92kg) earned silver medals and spots in Hangzhou. Their current 11-strong team prepared hard in the recent months to achieve further quotas for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
Kazakhstan is one of the superpowers in boxing with impressive Olympic traditions since the Atlanta 1996 Games which was their debut as an independent country. Since then, Vasiliy Zhirov, Bekzat Sattarkhanov, Yermakhan Ibraimov, Bakhtiyar Artayev, Bakhyt Sarsekbayev, Serik Sapiyev and Daniyar Yeleussinov all took gold medals in the Olympic boxing history.
Alua Balkybekova is a Women’s World Championships silver medallist who moved up to the light flyweight (50kg) for the very first time. The Asian Champion has more than 150 contests during her career and she is ready to make a huge impact in her new weight category.
Kazakhstan’s bantamweight (54kg) boxer, Zhaina Shekerbekova is a veteran in the team with Asian titles, World medals and Olympic participation in Rio de Janeiro. Rimma Volosenko won several international competitions at the women’s lightweight (60kg) and she also has the routine to succeed in the 1st World Olympic Qualifier.
Natalia Bogdanova earned a bronze medal at the Asian Games and the strong puncher received the right once again to compete for Kazakhstan at the women’s welterweight (66kg). A former World Champion Valentina Khalzova is one of the favourites at the women’s middleweight (75kg) in Busto Arsizio with 11 years of international experience.
Saken Bibossynov (51kg) had a strong challenger in his homeland but he was able to beat Sanzhar Tashkenbay in the final of the recent Kazakhstan National Championships. Another World Champion, Makhmud Sabyrkhan was named once again in the team and he will be a strong challenger at the men’s featherweight (57kg) in Italy.
The 2019 Asian Youth Champion Mukhammedsabyr Bazarbayuly defeated the Tokyo Olympian Serik Temirzhanov at the light welterweight (63.5kg) in the Kazakhstan Nationals, and for the first time, the 21-year-old talent will compete in a major elite championship. The defending light middleweight (71kg) World Champion, Aslanbek Shymbergenov is one of the top names in the upcoming event.
Nurbek Oralbay (80kg) won the title at the 2023 World Boxing Championships but he failed to qualify for Paris in Hangzhou therefore he needs a second attempt in Italy. His twin brother, the Asian Champion Aybek Oralbay regained his place at the men’s heavyweight (92kg) in the national team.
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