World Olympic Qualification Event – Day6 Report

17 Asian boxers will be boxing for the Olympic quota in the next round in Baku

The World Olympic Qualification Event continued with the sixth competition day in Baku, Azerbaijan where four sessions were held as usual. Only 68 boxers left in the competition and among them 17 are from our continent. These boxers arrived from 12 different Asian countries: India, Mongolia, Tajikistan, Jordan, Qatar, Thailand, China, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Iraq, Turkmenistan and South Korea.

Light Flyweight class (49 kg):

India’s Commonwealth Games runner-up Devendro Singh Laishram was semi-finalist in the AIBA Asian & Oceanian Olympic Qualification Event in Qian’an but lost his Box-off. The Indian boxer had to meet with South Africa’s AFBC African Cup of Nations winner Sibusiso Bandla in the quarter-finals today. The ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships silver medallist 24-year-old Indian hope dominated the fight against his South African rival and advanced to the semi-finals as lone Asian boxer in the lowest weight class. Devendro Singh Laishram needs only one further step to qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games after the rest day on Thursday.

Flyweight class (52 kg):

Thailand’s ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships bronze medallist Tanes Ongjunta moved back to his original weight class and he was confident against Iraq’s Murtadha Raad Qasim Al-Sudani who was also bronze medallist in the continental event in 2013. Thailand’s technician boxer was enough strong to win all of the rounds against his Asian rival and advanced to the quarter-finals in Baku.
Mongolia’s Summer Universiade winner Enkh-Amar Kharkhuu returned to the national squad this year in top shape and tried to do quick movements against Costa Rica’s AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist David Alejandro Jimenez who attacked from the first seconds in their contest. The 24-year-old Mongolian proved smart boxing in the last round and finally won their contest by split decision. Kyrgyzstan’s ASBC Asian Champion Azat Usenaliev could not repeat his strong performance against Bulgaria’s EUBC European Champion Daniel Asenov and lost his second preliminary battle.

Bantamweight class (56 kg):

Mongolia’s Erdenebat Tsendbaatar arrived to the venue of the World Olympic Qualification Event as one of the main favourite of the category. The three-time Mongolian National Champion won the Chemistry Cup in Germany this year and eliminated Mexico’s WSB boxer Ivan Jesus Delgado in the last preliminary round. The 19-year-old Mongolian began his next bout well enough against Turkey’s Ibrahim Gokcek who was well known as Gairbek Germakhanov previously. The Mongolian talent was amazing in the contest and his great punches delivered for him a place in the last eight.
Japan’s new national team member Arashi Morisaka defeated Kenji Fujita at home and received the right to box in the main competitions in 2016. The 20-year-old Japanese boxer eliminated Turkmenistan’s former ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships bronze medallist Yakub Meredov and continued the winning path against Puerto Rico’s Carlos Caraballo in the event. The young Japanese boxer had an amazing final round which was the difference between them.

Lightweight class (60 kg):

China’s Shan Jun advanced to the semi-final of the AIBA Asian & Oceanian Olympic Qualification Event in Qian’an but finally he lost his Box-off to Japan’s Daisuke Narimatsu. The Chinese boxer did not give up his Olympic dreams in spite of the fact he had disadvantage against Trinidad & Tobago’s Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Michael Alexander after the first round. Shan Jun had great WSB experiences and his physical condition was enough to turn back the contest in Baku.
Tajikistan’s former ASBC Asian Champion and two-time Olympian Anvar Yunusov had such a great opponent in the last 16 as Italy’s former AIBA World Champion Domenico Valentino on Day 6. Yunusov began their contest better and found the best attacking positions against the big name who competed in the last three editions of the Olympic Games. The Tajik boxer, who returned after an injury was unstoppable in this fight and controlled the second round as well in Baku. Yunusov controlled the final round as well and advanced to the quarter-finals in the World Olympic Qualification Event.
Chinese Taipei’s Lai Chu En is one of the most developed boxer in his country who won several contests in his recent main international events. After two great victories Lai had to box with Latvia’s experienced Artjoms Ramlavs who is member of their national squad since 2008. Chinese Taipei’s new young pride controlled the first two rounds which was enough for him to join to the last eight in this weight class.
Asia’s fourth triumph in this weight class was achieved by Qatar’s APB boxer Hakan Erseker who began the bout better than Georgia’s EUBC European Confederation Boxing Championships silver medallist Otar Eranosyan. The Georgian boxer was better in the second round but he received warnings from the Italian referee therefore 22-year-old Erseker was able to keep his triumph in Baku.

Light Welterweight class (64 kg):

Tajikistan’s Shavkatdzhon Rakhimov won several international tournaments in the recent three years and after his injury he returned to the ring in top shape. The 21-year-old Tajik boxer had stronger punches than Bahamas’ new sensation Rashield Williams in the opening round and Rakhimov took the lead. Tajikistan’s strong hope managed his movements and punches well enough which means he can box for the Olympic quota in the last eight.
Jordan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships silver medallist Obada Al-Kasbeh moved up one weight category in the recent weeks but he was able to keep his freshness and speed. The 22-year-old Incheon 2014 Asian Games bronze medallist boxer did enough to beat Tunisia’s All Africa Games winner Ahmed Mejri and advanced also to the quarter-final of the World Olympic Qualification Event.
India’s former Commonwealth Games winner veteran Manoj Kumar had sensational wins over Puerto Rico’s Danielito Zorrilla and Egypt’s Mohamed Eslam Aly in the previous rounds and he needed to do his very best once again on Day 6. The Indian boxer could not reduce the fighting distance against Bulgaria’s Ayrin Ismetov in the first round but after Ismetov’s tiring defense he was more successful from the second. Kumar was able to turn back the bout and advanced to the last 8 as third Asian in this category.

Middleweight class (75 kg):

Turkmenistan’s experienced Arslanbek Achilov eliminated Chinese Taipei’s 18-year-old Kan Chia Wei in the previous round in the World Olympic Qualification Event in Baku. The last remained Turkmen boxer met with Switzerland’s AIBA European Olympic Qualification Event bronze medallist Davide Faraci and did not give any chance to his European opponent in the capital city of Azerbaijan.
Iran’s Siavash Omidi replaced ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships bronze medallist Sajad Mehrabi in the national team but he was enough strong to control his bout against Saint Vincent & Grenadine’s Keithland King and met with South Korea’s Lee Dong Yun competed in the AIBA Asian & Oceanian Olympic Qualification Event in Qian’an but he could not qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Omidi began their bout better but Lee was able to turn back the contest in time.
Iraq’s ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships bronze medallist Waheed Abderredha is a veteran boxer who returned to the national squad and proved top performance in the first preliminary round. The Iraqi boxer eliminated Germany’s APB hope Xhek Paskali and continued his great winning series against Sweden’s Chechnyan-descent Leon Chartoi. The Iraqi boxer had lethal punches in the second round and the referee confirmed his TKO victory in Baku.
India’s former Asian Games winner and London 2012 Olympian Vikas Krishan Yadav used his last APB contest as active preparation for the World Olympic Qualification Event. Vikas Krishan eliminated Japan’s Makoto Takahashi boxing from longer distance in the last round while he used his strength to beat Georgia’s Zaal Kvachatadze. The Indian boxer will now meet with South Korea’s Lee Dong Yun in the quarter-finals.

Light Heavyweight class (81 kg):

India’s London 2012 Olympian Sumit Sangwan had bad years after his teenage successes but the 23-year-old boxer found back the winning way in the World Olympic Qualification Event in Baku. Sangwan demonstrated his power against another Asian boxer Mongolia’s veteran Sandagsuren Erdenebayar from the first seconds. The Indian hope advanced to the last eight as lone Asian boxer at the Light Heavyweight class (81 kg).

Heavyweight class (91 kg):

Iran’s former ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships silver medallist Salar Gholami eliminated Hungary’s Gergo Savoly in the first preliminary round and continued his winning path against Ukraine’s WSB hope Dmytro Lisovyi in Baku. The Iranian boxer was able to keep the distance in the first round against Morocco’s Abdeldjalil Abouhamada in the quarter-final but his North African rival could win their hectic contest. Gholami proved great performance in the whole event but could not qualify for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Super Heavyweight class (+91 kg):

China’s Mu Haipeng was Asia’s last hope in the highest weight class who tried to do his very best against Italy’s Guido Vianello in the evening session of the sixth competition day. The Chinese WSB boxer did not find the best fighting distance against the taller Italian and in spite of the fact he was enough aggressive in the bout, he could not solve the tactical issue in the quarter-final.