AIBA Asian & Oceanian Olympic Qualification Event – Day7 Report

Uzbekistan’s Shakhobiddin Zoirov claimed his first gold medal in an Asian event during his career

The first part of the finals and box-offs were held at the AIBA Asian & Oceanian Olympic Qualification Event in Qian’an, China where joined to Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan raised up its quota numbers up to 11. The Uzbek delegation won four gold medals after the opening six finals and half dozen of new boxers who won their box-offs today secured their quota places for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Men’s Light Flyweight class (49 kg):
Uzbekistan’s defending ASBC Asian Confederation Champion Hasanboy Dusmatov defeated Philippines’ AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Rogen Ladon in the final of the last edition of the ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships in Bangkok but their next contest in Qian’an was even closer than the first one. Dusmatov defeated the Seed No.1 but their contest was a narrow one in the event while the third quota place in the category was achieved by Mongolia’s Gankhuyag Ganerdene who defeated India’s London 2012 Olympian Devendro Laishram Singh in the Box-off.
Quota holders: Hasanboy Dusmatov (UZB); Rogen Ladon (PHI); Gankhuyag Ganerdene (MGL)

Men’s Flyweight class (52 kg):
Uzbekistan’s Incheon 2014 Asian Games silver medallist Shakhobiddin Zoirov eliminated Kyrgyzstan’s ASBC Asian Champion Azat Usenaliev in the semi-final of the AIBA Asian & Oceanian Olympic Qualification Event in Qian’an and he proved amazing performance against China’s AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Hu Jianguan in the final which delivered for him a gold. The third Olympic quota in the box-offs was achieved by Kazakhstan’s Olzhas Sattibayev who triumphed over Kyrgyzstan’s No.1 Azat Usenaliev.
Quota holders: Shakhobiddin Zoirov (UZB); Hu Jianguan (CHN); Olzhas Sattibayev (KAZ)

Men’s Bantamweight class (56 kg):
India’s AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Shiva Thapa was in top form in the entire competition and after his great success over Japan’s Arashi Morisaka in the quarter-finals, he defeated Kazakhstan’s AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Kairat Yeraliyev in the semi-finals. The Indian star could not repeat that strong performance against Thailand’s ASBC Asian Confederation Champion Chatchai Butdee in the final therefore the gold medal went to the Southeast Asian country. Philippines’ Southeast Asian Games winner Mario Fernandez was not enough fresh against Kazakhstan’s Kairat Yeraliyev in the Box-offs therefore the Central Asian was able to win the third spot for Rio.
Quota holders: Chatchai Butdee (THA); Shiva Thapa (IND); Kairat Yeraliyev (KAZ)

Men’s Welterweight class (69 kg):
Uzbekistan’s new star Shakhram Giyasov eliminated Philippines’ ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships silver medallist Felix Eumir Marcial in the semi-final in Qian’an who was the main favourite of the Welterweight class (69 kg) and he continued his winning path against Thailand’s two-time Olympian Saylom Ardee in the gold medal bout. The third quota place was achieved by Mongolia’s Byamba Tuvshinbat who defeated the above mentioned Filipino youngster who could not repeat top performance due his hand injury.
Quota holders: Shakhram Giyasov (UZB); Saylom Ardee (THA); Byamba Tuvshinbat (MGL)

Men’s Middleweight class (75 kg):
Kazakhstan’s AIBA World Champion and Incheon 2014 Asian Games winner Zhanibek Alimkhanuly overwhelmed Kyrgyzstan’s Ilyar Akhmetov in the quarter-final of the competition, he stopped also Mongolia’s Narmandakh Shinebayar in the last four and did not give any chance to China’s Zhao Minggang in the final. Australia’s Daniel Lewis secured Oceania’s first man quota after beating Mongolia’s Narmandakh Shinebayar in Qian’an.
Quota holders: Zhanibek Alimkhanuly (KAZ); Zhao Minggang (CHN); Daniel Lewis (AUS)

Men’s Light Heavyweight class (81 kg):
Kazakhstan’s London 2012 Olympic Games silver medallist and Incheon 2014 Asian Games winner Adilbek Niyazymbetov secured his place in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games following his triumph over Turkmenistan’s powerful Azizbek Achilov and met for the gold with his main rival Uzbekistan’s star Elshod Rasulov in Qian’an. The Kazakh star took the lead very quickly after three minutes of fight but Rasulov turned back their contest. The box-off for the last quota place was a small surprise as Turkmenistan’s Azizbek Achilov suffered a loss to Kyrgyzstan’s Erkin Adylbek Uulu who had longer reaches in their contest.
Quota holders: Elshod Rasulov (UZB); Adilbek Niyazymbetov (KAZ); Erkin Adylbek Uulu (KGZ)

Day 8 Finals & Box-offs Schedule:
Fourteen bouts will be held in the eighth competition day at the AIBA Asian & Oceanian Olympic Qualification Event in Qian’an, China where the Women’s Flyweight class (51 kg), Women’s Lightweight class (60 kg), Women’s Middleweight class (75 kg), Men’s Lightweight class (60 kg), Men’s Light Welterweight class (64 kg), Men’s Heavyweight class (91 kg) and Men’s Super Heavyweight class (+91 kg) will be in action. The winners of the box-offs will be joining to the Rio 2016 Olympians.