Asian U22 and Youth Champions are in the semi-finals at the 30th Abdusalam Nurmakhanov Tournament
The 30th edition of the Abdusalam Nurmakhanov Tournament is underway in the city of Turkestan and the event turned into its medal phase.
Boxers are able to compete from the minimumweight (48kg) up to the super heavyweight (+92kg) in the event. Altogether 145 elite male boxers are participating in the new edition of the Abdusalam Nurmakhanov Tournament in Kazakhstan.
Turkestan is the host of the competition, Kazakhstan’s UNESCO World Heritage city and one of their boxing centers. The city hosted the Bekzat Sattarkhanov Youth Memorial Tournament earlier this year and will be arranging further competitions in the near future.
Mr. Abdusalam Nurmakhanov was one of the most famous boxers and boxing coaches from the city of Turkestan who served the country’s boxing life from the 1950s until the late 1990s. As a boxer he won 222 out of his 239 bouts and he earned the title of the Kazakhstan SSR National Championships 11-times, and he achieved four medals in the All-USSR Nationals.
As a coach his Kazakh team won one gold, one silver and two bronze medals at the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games. Kazakh boxing legends such as Vasiliy Zhirov, Bolat Dzhumadilov, Yermakhan Ibraimov and Bolat Niyazymbetov earned these medals in 1996 with Mr. Abdusalam Nurmakhanov’s support.
Islam Mashkentayev is a new face in the elite competitions but the Pavlodar region’s teenager is a well-known boxer from the youth events. He defeated Akyltai Rabatov of Almaty region in the quarter-finals of the bantamweight (54kg) but Tajikistan’s Buzurgmekhr Iksanov and Almaty’s Zhandaulet Sarsenbayev also impressed in this category.
Kazakhstan’s Bocskai Memorial Tournament winner Assylzhan Serikbay walked over to the semi-finals at the featherweight (57kg) while a veteran boxer, Adilet Kurmetov was too strong for Kyrgyzstan’s Islam Imanidinov at the lightweight (60kg).
Uzbekistan’s Youth World Champion Bakhtiyor Asadov moved up to the lightweight (60kg) and he had a close success over a Karagandy region’s boxer, Aslan Aslanov. Another young Uzbek, the Asian U22 Champion Abdullokh Madaminov dominated his light welterweight (63.5kg) fight against Tajikistan’s Dzhamshedjon Gafurov.
One of the most anticipated quarter-final contests was held between two ASBC medallists, a local hopeful, Bakhtiyar Anarbayev and Mirzokhid Imamnazarov of Kyrgyzstan at the light welterweight (63.5kg). The younger Anarbayev was able to control two rounds effectively and he cleared his way to the semi-finals in the event.
Kyrgyzstan’s Ikhtiyar Nishonov won already two events in 2024 and he stopped his local opponent from the Turkestan region, Sadriddin Abdulla. Stars joined the semi-finals at the light heavyweight (80kg), such as the former Asian Champion Tursynbai Kulakhmet, Ayatulla Takizhanov and the Asian U22 Champion Nurislom Ismoilov of Uzbekistan.
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