Turkmenistan’s Azizbek Achilov amazed the crowd in the Hamburg 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships on Day1
The opening day of the AIBA World Boxing Championships was held in Hamburg where 41 contests were in the official program. Kazakhstan, India, Uzbekistan, Japan and Turkmenistan won bouts from the Asian countries on Day1. The best performance was delivered by Turkmenistan’s Azizbek Achilov who dominated his today’s contest.
The total number of the boxers is 243 from 75 nations and among them 57 Asian competitors will be attending for the medals in Hamburg from 15 countries from our continent.
Light flyweight (49kg):
Kazakhstan’s Yerzhan Zhomart received a reserve place for the Hamburg 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships but he tried to do his very best in the opening bout of the whole event. He moved ahead from the first seconds against Guatemala’s Michael Tello and dictated the tempo of the contest. The Kazakh boxer was able to keep his level from the first seconds and his efforts delivered for him a place in the last 16. His next opponent will be Philippines’ AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Rogen Ladon in Hamburg.
India’s Amit Panghal involved to the team since his national title which he won last December. The Indian boxer claimed bronze in the ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships in Tashkent and built up a strong tactic. The Indian boxer looked quicker than Italy’s Federico Serra in the first round and his strategy was based on his quicker attacks. The Indian southpaw delivered his best round in the third and his final run was enough to win the close contest against his WSB rival.
Bantamweight (56kg):
Kazakhstan’s AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Kairat Yeraliyev had to meet against a taller opponent Mexico’s Christopher Florez in the first preliminary round of the competition. The Kazakh boxer reduced the fighting distance successfully in the second and third rounds which delivered for him a place in the next stage of the competition. The Shymkent-based boxer proved he is still enough strong to get top results in Hamburg but his next opponent will be Uzbekistan’s seed No.1 Murodjon Akhmadaliev.
Japan’s Olympic Test Event winner Ryomei Tanaka was not able to claim any medal in the Tashkent 2017 ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships but this time in Hamburg he was well prepared. The 24-year-old Japanese boxer, who moved up from the flyweight (52kg), controlled all of the rounds against Denmark’s Ahmad El Ahmad and also advanced to the last as Yeraliyev in Hamburg. Tanaka will now meet with Germany’s Omar El Hag who eliminated Spain’s Jose Quiles in a narrow contest.
India’s Gaurav Bidhuri moved up to the bantamweight (56kg) in the recent months but it was a successful decision from the 23-year-old talent. The Indian boxer had a hard opponent, Australia’s AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Samuel Goodman who started well their contest. Bidhuri felt himself better from the second round and controlled the second part of their close fight. The Indian boxer did enough to win their contest and secured his place in the last 16.
Light welterweight (64kg):
Kazakhstan’s Uzbek-born Bekdaulet Ibragimov was bronze medallist in the ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships where he defeated Sri Lanka’s Dushan Dinidu Saparamadu in the quarter-final of the event. The Sri Lankan boxer, who won the Taipei City Cup this month, was competitive rival for the Kazakh talent and proved better performance than in Tashkent. The Tashkent-born Kazakh boxer won their contest using his speed but the difference was not so huge this time.
Middleweight (75kg):
Kazakhstan’s WSB Team Champion and ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships bronze medallist Abilkhan Amankul lost only three contests in the recent two and half years and arrived as a favourite to Hamburg. The 20-year-old Kazakh boxer was not enough shape against Australia’s Campbell Sommerville in the first preliminary round but he found his best fighting distance in time and advanced to the last 16 in Hamburg. Abilkhan Amankul will be boxing in the next round with Germany’s Silvio Schierle who eliminated Turkey’s Birol Aygun in the competition.
Turkmenistan’s Azizbek Achilov moved down one weight class in the recent months and qualified for Hamburg. He had to meet with Puerto Rico’s Luis Rodriguez in the first preliminary round and he used his strength to keep the best fighting distance. Achilov, whose brother is the current Islamic Solidarity Games winner, was too powerful to his Central American & Caribbean opponent and secured his place in the last 16.
Heavyweight (91kg):
Uzbekistan had bronze medallist in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in this weight class but Rustam Tulaganov is already not involved to the team. The Uzbek head coach selected ASBC Asian Youth Champion 19-year-old Sanjar Tursunov who opened his participation against Nicaragua’s Jeffry Gonzalez. The Uzbek boxer did well all of the rounds and launched effective punches against his inexperienced opponent. Tursunov is the youngest team member of the Uzbek squad but delivered smart boxing in the competition.