Further eight Asian boxers advanced to the semi-finals in the FISU World University Boxing Championships

The FISU World University Championships began with twelve Asian triumphs in Chiang Mai, Thailand in the first two competition days and eight of our boxers won their contests on Day 3. The winners of today’s contests are guaranteed medallists in the FISU World University Boxing Championships which is the first big elite event after the Rio 2016 Olympic Games which is holding in Asia.
Chiang Mai is located in the Northern part of Thailand and famous of its boxing school and also of its weightlifting traditions. Besides to the ten men’s weight classes the women boxers can compete in the Flyweight class (51 kg), Lightweight class (60 kg) and Middleweight class (75 kg) once again after the last Yakutsk 2014 edition. Boxers who were born between 1988 and 1997 are eligible to compete in the FISU University World Boxing Championships.

Women’s Flyweight class (51 kg):
Japan’s Sana Kawano had great youth results before winning national titles among the elite boxers. The young Japanese lady had to meet with Belarus’ experienced Helina Bruyevich in the quarter-final of the championships and tried to do her best in Chiang Mai. The 20-year-old Japanese boxer was enough skilled to control the bout in the first part and in spite of the Belarusian attacks in the final two minutes she was able to keep her advantage until the final gong in their contest.
Thailand’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships bronze medallist and Southeast Asian Games winner Chuthamat Raksat moved up from the Light Flyweight class (48 kg) to show her best in the front of the home crowd. The 23-year-old boxer was not enough shape in the opening round therefore she had to turn up the heat from the second to beat Poland’s Angelika Gronska in the quarter-final.

Men’s Lightweight class (60 kg):
Kyrgyzstan’s Temirlan Osmonov lost his preliminary bout in the last edition of their National Championships but he demonstrated he is in much better form than one year ago. The 23-year-old Kyrgyz boxer defeated such a tough rival as Ukraine’s Vladyslav Vyetoshkin who has been competing in the international level since 2010. The Kyrgyz boxer continued the winning path against Ireland’s Gary McKenna and reached the semi-final in Chiang Mai which is his career highlight.
Chinese Taipei’s Lai Chu En surprisingly qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games with amazing performance at the World Olympic Qualification Event in Baku. In that competition he eliminated Latvia’s Artjoms Ramlavs and now he had to meet with his European opponent once again. The 20-year-old talent used his Olympic experiences and impulse to beat Ramlavs who has been boxing in the big boxing events since 2008. Lai’s second opponent was Japan’s Yuta Akiyama who had also experiences from the international competitions. Chinese Taipei’s pride was in better form than in the preliminary round and secured a guaranteed medal in Chiang Mai winning the bout by unanimous decision.
Kazakhstan’s No.2 at the Lightweight class (60 kg) behind APB World Champion Berik Abdrakhmanov is Didar Utelbayev who won several international AOB competitions in the recent one year. The 23-year-old Kazakh boxer had to meet with Thailand’s National Tournament winner Thiwa Janthacumpa who won his first contest in Chiang Mai. Utelbayev was quicker than his Thai opponent which was the difference between them in their today’s bout. The final verdict was split decision to Kazakhstan’s Didar Utelbayev who is Asia’s third guaranteed medallist in this weight class.

Men’s Light Welterweight class (64 kg):
Thailand’s Somchay Wongsuwan competed at the 2014 ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships in Bangkok and since then he joined to the elite age group. The 19-year-old talent had to meet with Japan’s Nobuhiro Hiranaka as first in the championships and he was able to solve that tactical job. The Thai boxer won all of the rounds in all score cards and advanced to the semi-final as lone Asian at the Light Welterweight class (64 kg).

Men’s Welterweight class (69 kg):
Kazakhstan’s Bekbolat Kuramyssov competed at the Light Welterweight class (64 kg) until 2015 but following that he decided to move up one category. The 24-year-old Kazakh athlete proved smart boxing against Thailand’s new national team member Bunjong Sinsiri in the third competition day in Chiang Mai. The Kazakh boxer won their contest and advanced to the semi-finals winning at least a bronze medal in the championships.

Men’s Light Heavyweight class (81 kg):
Kazakhstan’s Ali Akhmedov won the gold medal in the first edition of the Asian Student Championships in Dushanbe, Tajikistan this May following he returned from the Heavyweight class (91 kg). The 21-year-old future hope was in different level than ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships bronze medallist China’s Li Bitao in the first preliminary round and he proved his strength in the quarter-final. Akhmedov launched serious punches against Ukraine’s Viacheslav Troian and the referee confirmed his TKO triumph in the second round.