Serik Sapiyev Prizes Youth Tournament in Karagandy

Kazakhstan’s top talents were in action in the Serik Sapiyev Prizes Youth Tournament
Serik Sapiyev is legendary boxer of Kazakhstan who claimed gold medal in the London 2012 Olympic Games while he is also AIBA World Champion and Asian Games winner. A youth tournament and the sport complex in Karagandy was named after him and the Serik Sapiyev Prizes Youth Tournament was held in the recent days.

Kazakhstan’s best youth athletes boxed in the Serik Sapiyev Prizes Youth Tournament in Karagandy where the 1998-1999 age group was in action. Pavlodar will be hosting the 2016 ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships in May and St. Petersburg the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in St. Petersburg in November therefore the competition was the first selection to these important events.

The first gold medal of the Serik Sapiyev Prizes Youth Tournament was achieved by Zhetysu Youth Cup bronze medallist Damir Abdykadyr of Almaty who defeated Yevgeniy Babichev of Kostanay in the final of the Pinweight class (46 kg) which weight class is common in the Asian continent but not involved to the official program of the main competitions.

National team member Zhetysu Youth Cup winner Vasiliy Samchuk of Karagandy region lost to Orazbek Asylkulov of Akmola region in the final of the Bekzat Sattarkhanov Youth Memorial Tournament one year ago but in Karagandy he was able to do revenge in the final of the Light Flyweight class (49 kg). Youth National Champion Rustam Khamidov lost to Samchuk in the semi-finals and achieved bronze in the event.

AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Samatali Toltayev of Almaty competed in the junior age groups in 2015 and joined to the youth athletes only four weeks ago. The 16-year-old Flyweight class (52 kg) boxer defeated Brandenburg Youth Cup winner Aydos Arapov of Kostanay in the final of the event which was an amazing bout between the two top talents. Zhetysu Youth Cup silver medallist Ernest Kokombayev claimed only bronze in one of the most difficult weight class of the Serik Sapiyev Prizes Youth Tournament.

AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Serik Temirzhanov of Pavlodar region defeated 16-year-old Berik Dzhedibayev in the quarter-finals, Abbas Agalarov Youth Cup winner Makhmut Al-Mukhammed of Mangystau region in the semi-finals and ASBC Asian Junior Champion Sanatali Toltayev in the final therefore his gold in the Bantamweight class (56 kg) was a well deserved success in Karagandy. Defending AIBA Junior World Champion Daulet Nyssan lost his opening bout and failed to get any medal in the event.

Bekzat Sattarkhanov Youth Memorial Tournament winner Kazbek Sapenov of Atyrau region proved his skills in Karagandy once again and bagged the gold medal at the Lightweight class (60 kg) after beating Zhetysu Youth Cup winner Aidyn Sikhymbayev. Kazakhstan’s 2015 junior national team member Nurbol Sultanbay claimed bronze medal in Karagandy.

Abbas Agalarov Youth Cup winner Ray Seitzhanov of Aktobe defeated Zhetysu Youth Cup winner Ayatulla Takizhanov of Pavlodar region in the final of the Light Welterweight class (64 kg) and has got chance to compete in the international level in 2016. ASBC Asian Junior Champion Ablay Ybraimov and Junior National Champion Aybol Zhambirbay both lost in the quarter-finals in Karagandy.

Ahmet Comert Youth Tournament gold medallist Sadreddin Akhmedov of Astana is one of the most experienced youth boxer in the Kazakh national team therefore his gold in Karagandy was not a surprise. He triumphed over Zhetysu Youth Cup gold medallist Oleg Matveychuk in the final while another talent ASBC Asian Junior Champion 16-year-old Aldiyar Tursynali claimed only bronze this time.

Heydar Aliyev Junior Cup and Bekzat Sattarkhanov Youth Memorial Tournament winner Bek Nurmaganbet stopped all of his rivals in the Serik Sapiyev Prizes Youth Tournament and proved he is a top athlete in the Middleweight class (75 kg). The 17-year-old rising star did not give too chance to Aman Kazangapov in the final of the event.

Heydar Aliyev Junior Cup winner Bekzod Nurdauletov of Mangystau region defeated 16-year-old Eldiyar Kamchibekov in the gold medal bout of the Light Heavyweight class (81 kg). ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Championships silver medallist Khurshedshokh Iskandarov claimed bronze medal whilst another hope Bogdan Filatov missed to get any podium place.

Zhetysu Youth Cup silver medallist Ontalap Rakhmanov of Kyzyl-Orda moved down to the Heavyweight class (91 kg) two months ago to fight out his place in the top national team. The 17-year-old Northern Kazakh boxer defeated Ermek Serikov Youth Memorial Tournament silver medallist Dmitriy Akhtsiger in the final. The final verdict of their narrow bout was split decision to Rakhmanov who is now near to box in the ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships in May.

The final gold medal in the Serik Sapiyev Prizes Youth Tournament was achieved by Zhetysu Youth Cup winner 16-year-old Rustem Bayeshev who arrived from the Karagandy region to the event. The Super Heavyweight class (+91 kg) boxer defeated Dildabekov Prizes Junior Tournament winner Nurdaulet Ulanuly in the semi-finals and for the gold he was too strong for Kuanysh Bakyt who trains also in the Karagandy region.

Winners in the Serik Sapiyev Prizes Youth Tournament
46 kg: Damir Abdykadyr
49 kg: Vasiliy Samchuk
52 kg: Samatali Toltayev
56 kg: Serik Temirzhanov
60 kg: Kazbek Sapenov
64 kg: Ray Seitzhanov
69 kg: Sadreddin Akhmedov
75 kg: Bek Nurmaganbet
81 kg: Bekzod Nurdauletov
91 kg: Ontalap Rakhmanov
+91 kg: Rustem Bayeshev