Rio 2016 Olympian Bakhodir Jalolov and WSB star Elnur Abduraimov are the stars in the Uzbekistan National Championships

The 25th edition of the Uzbekistan National Elite Boxing Championships was held in the city of Bekabad where the local crowd could see 212 boxers and 202 bouts. Among their Rio 2016 Olympic heroes only Bakhodir Jalolov attended in the National Championships in Bekabad and besides to him several young heroes shined in the competition.
Tashkent region became the best squad in the Uzbekistan National Elite Boxing Championships, Andizhan region became second while Tashkent city’s boxers finished third in the team rankings in Bekabad. The average age of the winners was 21.4 years which show the country has great potential also in the new Olympic era.
The first gold medal of the whole event was achieved by National Championships silver medallist WSB boxer 22-year-old Nodirjon Mirzakhmedov of Tashkent who defeated Bukhara’s Mironshokh Ibragimov in the final of the light flyweight (49kg). The bronze medals were earned by other youngsters such as Foziljon Abdumurodov and Abrorbek Abdusalomov.
Andizhan region’s 19-year-old Hasanboy Latibakhunov claimed gold medal in their Youth National Championships in 2015 and attended in their elite national event also last year. He won the Kulibayev Prizes Tournament in Kazakhstan this year but he was not the main favourite of the flyweight (52kg). The teenage talent exceeded the expectations and defeated AIBA World Boxing Championships silver medallist Jasurbek Latipov in the final while National Champion Abdulla Kuchkarov and Doniyor Orzikulov claimed only bronze medals.
Tashkent region’s Abdulkhay Sharakhmatov proved top performance in the World Series of Boxing in Season VI and won the Chinggis Khan Cup in Mongolia in October and in the absence of Rio 2016 Olympic Games bronze medallist Murodjon Akhmadaliev he was able to win the bantamweight (56kg) in Bekabad. The 20-year-old talent defeated Ferghana’s ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships silver medallist Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov in the final while Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games silver medallist Sulaymon Latipov and Farkhod Baymuratov took the bronze medals.
Andizhan’s Ulugbek Komilov was silver medallist in the 2015 Uzbek Youth National Championships and attended only in a few elite events in his career until the Bekabad event. The 19-year-old talent shocked all of his rivals in the National Championships and defeated also Samarkand’s Sherbek Rakhmatullayev in the final while experienced Sardor Muzaffarov and Tishchenko Prizes Tournament winner Ulugbek Dusmurodov took only bronze medals.
Tashkent region’s Elnur Abduraimov was bronze medallist in the 2015 AIBA World Boxing Championships in Doha but could not compete in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games due Uzbekistan’s double quotas in the lightweight (60kg). The 22-year-old top WSB boxer moved up to the light welterweight (64kg) in the recent months and had to meet in the final of the national event against such a big local rival Andizhan’s AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Ikboljon Kholdarov. Abduraimov won their contest closely and secured his third national title after 2013 and 2014 while Farkhod Polvonov and former AIBA Junior World Champion Aliyor Noraliyev took bronze medals in Bekabad.
An unexpected final was held at the welterweight (69kg) between Dzhizak’s Zharylgapov Memorial Tournament winner Boto-Usmon Boturov Bukhara’s Taimanov & Utemisov Memorial Tournament silver medallist Odil Aslonov. The final was won by Boturov in Bekabad closely while the favourites of the weight class such as Uzbekistan’s WSB boxers Anvar Turapov and National Champion Fazliddin Meliboev claimed only bronze medals.
Khorezm region’s Incheon 2014 Asian Games silver medallist Israil Madrimov moved up to the middleweight (75kg) one year ago and his decision was successful. The 21-year-old boxer defeated Surkhondarya’s ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships silver medallist Makhmud Gaipov in one of the best final of the event. AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships bronze medallist 19-year-old Kozimbek Mardonov and strong WSB boxer Ulugbek Khakberdiev earned the bronze medals.
Tashkent region’s Zukhriddin Makhkamov surprisingly won the gold medal in the Uzbek National Championships in 2015 and following that performance he was able to defend his title in Bekabad following his triumph over Khorezm’s 2011 ASBC Asian Champion Shukhrat Abdullaev in the final of the light heavyweight (81kg). Experienced Jaloliddin Uktamov and Khasankhon Baratov were the bronze medallists of the weight class.
Tashkent region’s Boburbek Yuldashev was born in Tajikistan but has been fighting for Uzbekistan in the international events. The 24-year-old boxer moved up to the heavyweight (91kg) in the recent months and controlled his final over Khorezm’s former AIBA Junior World Champion Mirzobek Khasanov while Singapore 2010 Youth Olympic Games silver medallist Sardorbek Begaliyev and Sardor Yormukhammedov lost their semi-finals.
Surkhandarya region’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games quarter-finalist and AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Bakhodir Jalolov used his longer hands to keep the distance against Bukhara’s ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships silver medallist Ulugbek Mubinov in the final of the super heavyweight (+91kg) in Bekabad. Zolotarev Memorial Tournament winner Rustamjon Ismailov and Asylbek Soliyev took bronze medals in the highest weight class.

Winners in the Uzbekistan National Championships
49kg: Nodirjon Mirzakhmedov, 1994
52kg: Hasanboy Latibakhunov, 1997
56kg: Abdulkhay Sharakhmatov, 1996
60kg: Ulugbek Komilov, 1997
64kg: Elnur Abduraimov, 1994
69kg: Bobo-Usmon Boturov, 1995
75kg: Israil Madrimov, 1995
81kg: Zukhriddin Makhkamov, 1992
91kg: Boburbek Yuldashev, 1992
+91kg: Bakhodir Jalolov, 1994