Fourteen Asian medallists at the AIBA World Boxing Championships

All of the 52 quarter-finals were held in the ninth competition day at the AIBA World Boxing Championships in Belgrade, Serbia today. Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Thailand Boxing Federation, Japan, India and Iran earned 14 medals for the Asian continent today in the most important part of the event.

Altogether 36 Asian boxers from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, India, Thailand Boxing Federation, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Iran and Jordan advanced to the quarter-finals. Among them 14 won their contests in the competition day and they can box for the finals after the rest day.

The following 20 Asian nations are attending in the AIBA World Boxing Championships in Belgrade: Fair Chance Team, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, South Korea, Laos, Nepal, Pakistan, Palestine, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Thailand Boxing Federation, Tajikistan, Chinese Taipei, and Uzbekistan.

Kazakhstan’s Zhussupov has done revenge in a repeat match

Kazakhstan’s Temirtas Zhussupov achieved gold medal at the Amman 2013 ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships and after a short break he could return to the national team. The 33-year-old Kazakh faced with Uzbekistan’s two-time ASBC Asian Champion Nodirjon Mirzakhmedov in the important quarter-final at the minimumweight (48kg). The Kazakh lost to the Uzbek boxer in the Governor Cup this April but he was able to use a different strategy today. Zhussupov’s amazing speed decided their contest, his long range tactic was frenetic in their re-match and earned the first medal for Kazakhstan. 

Thailand Boxing Federation’s first medallist is Wuttichai Yurachai

Thailand Boxing Federation’s Wuttichai Yurachai moved back to the minimumweight (48kg) and the 29-year-old boxer arrived to the AIBA World Boxing Championships with upgraded skills. The experienced Thai met with Japan’s Kazuma Aratake, a teenage talent and their contest was a final-level bout. Both boxers gave in everything to this crucial contest and the difference was tiny between the two Asian hopes. Aratake injured in the bout and the referees picked Wuttichai Yurachai as the winner of the quarter-final.

India’s Akash Kumar exceeded the expectations

India’s Akash Kumar competed in the main youth championships in the year of 2018 and after three years of U22 and elite experiences, he won their National Championships in September. The 21-year-old Indian had a tough opponent for the guaranteed medal, Venezuela’s Yoel Finol who has got seven years of international experiences. The Venezuelan eliminated one of the gold medal favourites, Spain’s Gabriel Escobar but Akash Kumar was faster today than Finol. He caught the South American with tough shots which slowed down Finol in the quarter-final therefore Akash Kumar claimed India’s first medal in the AIBA World Boxing Championships.

Strong competition day for Japan

Tomoya Tsuboi is one of the most developed boxers in the Japanese national team who moved up to the bantamweight (54kg) in the recent one year. He joined to elite national squad in 2015 but he had a few years when he was not able to represent Japan in the major championships. Tsuboi used his longer reach well against Barbados’ Jabali Breedy and he had fantastic tempo against his Caribbean rival earning a medal in Belgrade. His teammate, ASBC Asian Boxing Championships silver medallist Sewon Okazawa eliminated one of the favourites at the welterweight (67kg), Serbia’s ex-Russian Vakhid Abbasov.

Uzbekistan’s Abdumalik Khalakov eliminated his Russian opponent

Uzbekistan’s biggest talent in their current national team is Abdumalik Khalakov who won all of his three major youth championships in 2018. The 21-year-old Uzbek arrived to Belgrade as one of the top favourites for the gold medal at the lightweight (60kg) and proved better and better performance rounds by rounds. The Uzbek boxer defeated Russian Boxing Federation’s Vsevolod Shumkov in an international event earlier but his dominancy was such clear today and bagged his first elite medal.

Ablaikhan Zhussupov bagged his third AIBA medal

Kazakhstan’s two-time AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Ablaikhan Zhussupov met with a strong Asian opponent today, Chinzorig Baatarsukh of Mongolia. The Mongolian was gold medallist at the Dubai 2021 ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships but the new welterweight (67kg) is still challenging for him. Chinzorig tried to overcame the Kazakh boxer in the attacks but Zhussupov was smarter today and he used the best strategy against the 30-year-old Mongolian. Ablaikhan Zhussupov advanced to the semi-finals which means he can prepare to his third semi-final after 2017 and 2019. 

Thailand’s 20-year-old Weerapon Jongjoho reached his career highlight

Thailand Boxing Federation’s Weerapon Jongjoho joined to the national team as junior still in 2017 and he claimed medals in the Asian events. The ASBC Asian Youth Champion was involved to the elite squad after his 18th birthday and the tall boxer developed so fast despite of the hard Covid-19 situation. The Thai middleweight (75kg) boxer faced with Uzbekistan’s reigning ASBC Asian Champion Saidjamshid Jafarov and he used his long hands to keep the distance which paid off today. Jongjoho not only won the second medal for Thailand but achieved his career highlight as an elite boxer.

Kazakhstan’s Saken Bibossynov won his second medal after Yekaterinburg

Kazakhstan’s AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Saken Bibossynov eliminated Uzbekistan’s Hasanboy Dusmatov and India’s Deepak during his road to the quarter-finals at the flyweight (51kg). The 24-year-old Kazakh is in amazing shape and he has the clear target for this event, to take the gold medal in Belgrade. Bibossynov had the third world class opponent in the event, Colombia’s veteran Yuberjen Martinez but his tactical preparation took the lead for him in the scorecards. The Kazakh boxer kept Martinez on long successfully and advanced to his second semi-final in an AIBA Men’s Elite World Boxing Championships.

Thanarat Saengphet is Thailand’s youngest medallist

Thailand Boxing Federation’s teenage hope Thanarat Saengphet turned to 19 this August and he never boxed out of the country yet. The flyweight (51kg) hope met with Azerbaijan’s six-years-older Masud Yusifzada but after the first round he found the best rhythm in time to get chance to win this important quarter-final. Saengphet had lack of international experiences before the AIBA World Boxing Championships but he celebrated a fantastic success over an opponent who joined to the international stage still in 2012.

Uzbekistan’s Madiyar Saidrakhimov had the power to beat his English rival

Uzbekistan’s Madiyar Saidrakhimov won the CISM Military World Boxing Championships in Moscow in September and received the right to compete in Belgrade. He replaced Sanjar Tursunov at the heavyweight (92kg) in the national team and following his crucial contests, he had strong performance against England’s Lewis Williams. He started well against the English boxer in the first round and took the lead in the scorecards. The one-year-younger Williams received a warning in the second round while Saidrakhimov gave in everything to beat his rival today, earning Uzbekistan’s second medal.

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