Togambay’s revenge and the 19-year-old Mursal delighted the male finals at the Elorda Cup
Thirteen boxers celebrated their titles at the 3rd Elorda Cup in Astana, Kazakhstan where the busy competition turned into its end. Kazakhstan’s 19-year-old Nurbek Mursal and his teammate Sagyndyk Togambay won the key finals of the competition.
China, Iran, Japan, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan shared the male titles of the Elorda Cup which has nearly 200 participants in Astana. Five of the winners have already qualified for the Paris Olympic Games. The organizers of the Elorda Cup were the Department of Physical Culture and Sports of Astana City and the Kazakhstan Boxing Federation.
Japan’s Kazuma Aratake was finalist in the 2022 editions of the ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships in Amman and also in the U22 age group in Tashkent. The 22-year-old Japanese defeated the host country’s two best options in this event, firstly Ali Tokhtarov, then Askhat Zhussupov in the final.
Kazakhstan’s Saken Bibossynov, the Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist and the 2021 World Champion, walked over to the title of the men’s flyweight (51kg) following his local opponent, Damir Abdikadyr was unable to box. Kazakhstan’s Karim Serkebayev and their World Champion Makhmud Sabyrkhan both won their finals by walkovers.
One of the anticipated finals were held at the men’s lightweight (60kg) where the younger Talgat Syrymbetov had the great finish to beat a Tokyo Olympian local star, Serik Temirzhanov from Pavlodar.
The Iranians used the Elorda Cup as their final preparations for the 2nd World Olympic Boxing Qualifying Event and their 26-year-old experienced Ali Habibinezhad was able to beat Uzbekistan’s Asian bronze finisher Adkhamjon Mukhiddinov and take the title of the light welterweight (63.5kg).
Kyrgyzstan’s Ikhtiyor Nishonov knocked out Bakhtiyar Smagulov in the semi-finals of the welterweight (67kg) but he had a more technician rival for the title, Nurbek Mursal. The 19-year-old Youth World silver medallist Kazakh used his longer hands to keep the best distance and he won his first elite international tournament.
Uzbekistan’s Khavasbek Asadullayev opened the year with a gold medal at the Boxam Tournament in Spain and he was able to repeat that performance also in Astana. China’s Asian Games winner Tuohetaerbieke Tanglatihan had a tight success over Uzbekistan’s 19-year-old Rakhmatullo Boymatov at the light heavyweight (80kg) which was the next awaited final contest in the Elorda Cup.
Kazakhstan’s three-time Asian Champion as a junior and youth, Sagyndyk Togambay met China’s Han Xuezhen in the final of the heavyweight (92kg). The Chinese boxer unexpectedly defeated the Kazakh in the Asian Games but Togambay was highly motivated in Astana and he made a revenge.
The list of the men’s winners at the 3rd Elorda Cup
Men’s 48kg: Kazuma Aratake, Japan
Men’s 51kg: Saken Bibossynov, Kazakhstan
Men’s 54kg: Karim Serkebayev, Kazakhstan
Men’s 57kg: Makhmud Sabyrkhan, Kazakhstan
Men’s 60kg: Talgat Syrymbetov, Kazakhstan
Men’s 63.5kg: Ali Habibinezhad, Iran
Men’s 67kg: Nurbek Mursal, Kazakhstan
Men’s 71kg: Khavasbek Asadullayev, Uzbekistan
Men’s 75kg: Timur Nurseitov, Kazakhstan
Men’s 80kg: Tuohetaerbieke Tanglatihan, China
Men’s 86kg: Nurbek Oralbay, Kazakhstan
Men’s 92kg: Sagyndyk Togambay, Kazakhstan
Men’s +92kg: Kamshybek Kunkabayev, Kazakhstan
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