Iraq’s Al-Sarray and Tajikistan’s Boltayev delivered the surprises at the ASBC Asian U22 Boxing Championships on Day2

The first edition of the ASBC Asian U22 Boxing Championships continued with its second session in Tashkent, Uzbekistan. Iraq’s Ali Qassim Hamdan Al-Sarray and Tajikistan’s Davlat Boltayev delivered the main surprises in the session eliminating top Japanese and Uzbek rivals.

Boxers at the men’s minimumweight (48kg), featherweight (57kg), lightweight (60kg), light welterweight (63.5kg), light middleweight (71kg) and heavyweight (92kg) were in action in on Day2. After the second competition day, a longer session with fifteen bouts will be held in Tashkent on Day3.

The Technical Delegate of the ASBC Asian U22 Boxing Championships is Mr. Viorel Sima of Romania and many non-Asian officials and referees work in the event to keep the neutrality in the historical competition.

Following the Sport Entries Check, it confirmed that the number of boxers is 109 from 12 nations in the ASBC Asian U22 Boxing Championships. Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan are the participating nations in the difficult period which affects the whole continent in our present days.

Tajikistan’s Khusravkhon Rakhimov continued the country’s strong performance in Tashkent

Tajikistan won both of their contests in the opening day of boxing while Kyrgyzstan lost their narrow bouts on Day1. Tajikistan’s Khusravkhon Rakhimov and Kyrgyzstan’s Zhakshylyk Tilek Uulu both competed in previous ASBC Championships as junior and youth boxers. Both of them are in the U22 age group now and met each other in the quarter-finals of the men’s featherweight (57kg). Rakhimov, who earned silver medal in their last National Spartakyad in 2021, tried to dictate the tempo against Tilek Uulu who was disqualified after the third warnings.

Dilshod Abdumurodov was Uzbekistan’s second winner in Tashkent

Uzbekistan’s second boxer in action at the ASBC Asian U22 Boxing Championships was Dilshod Abdumurodov who attended at the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in Kielce last year. He met with an even younger rival, Iraq’s Mohammed Anwar Makassees achieved silver medal at the Dubai 2021 ASBC Asian Youth Boxing Championships. The taller Uzbek moved ahead and wanted to fight against his Iraqi teenage rival who looked patient and well-prepared in the first round. The Uzbek boxer landed a tough left-handed hook in the middle of the second round and controlled that period better than the first. Abdumurodov caught the Iraqi teenager with excellent shots in the beginning of the third round and advanced to the next stage of boxing.

Kyrgyzstan’s Rysbek Bektenov stopped his Sri Lankan rival

Kyrgyzstan’s Ryspek Bektenov achieved silver medal in their 2019 Elite National Championships at the age of 18 and he had already more than 120 contests during his career. The 20-year-old Kyrgyz boxer met with Sri Lanka’s Gadul Passara Lekam Gedara who won their U22 National Selection Tournament a few weeks ago. Bektenov used his speed well in the first round to land punches while the young Sri Lankan was not able to organize his defence to avoid these shots. Bektenov increased his tempo in the second round and knocked down his Sri Lankan rival who is newcomer in the international events. The referee confirmed Bektenov’s RSC success following that powerful hook in the second round of their lightweight (60kg) contest.

Iraq’s teenager Ali Qassim Hamdan Al-Sarray made a surprise on Day2

Japan’s Shion Nishiyama achieved medals in the youth national events in 2018 before he won the gold at the 2019 Elite National Championships at the age of 19. Nishiyama could be Japan’s new weapon at the lightweight (60kg) who opened his campaign in Tashkent against Iraq’s former Junior National Champion Ali Qassim Hamdan Al-Sarray. Nishiyama tried to maintain the best fighting range against the tall Iraqi boxer in the first round during the battle of the southpaw athletes. Al-Sarray was a hard target for the Japanese boxer in the second but Nishiyama started the third round with a nice jab when he used up his opponent’s fault. The 18-year-old Iraqi talent has done an impressive finish and won the narrow contest causing a surprise in Tashkent.

Mongolia’s next star is Byambatsogt Tuguldur

Mongolia’s Byambatsogt Tuguldur is their next big hope in our sport who defeated several stars in the recent two and half years. He proved his talent already at the 2019 Cologne Boxing World Cup and started well against Tajikistan’s Faizali Gulomov in their light welterweight (63.5kg) contest. The Dushanbe-based Tajik boxer has just moved up from the youth age group this January but he was competitive in the first round. Tuguldur increased his tempo in the second round and following his actions, the referee had to count the four-years-younger Tajik boxer.  The Mongolian was better in all aspects of boxing and proved he is a fantastic future hope in this strong weight class.

Iraq’s Yahya Husham Sami Eskander controlled the next contest

Following Iraq’s first fantastic and unexpected success earlier in the session, their Yahya Husham Sami Eskander achieved bronze medal in their 2021 Elite National Championships and received the right to attend at the ASBC Asian U22 Boxing Championships. The Iraqi talent controlled the exchanges in the first round against Saudi Arabia’s Bakr Fuad Al-Nahhas and took the lead on the scorecards. Sami Eskander used his speed to overcame his Saudi Arabian opponent in the attacks and landed clear punches mostly in the second and third rounds securing Iraq’s second success in the day.

ASBC Asian Youth Champion Nuradin Rustambek Uulu

Nuradin Rustambek Uulu became Kyrgyzstan’s first ever ASBC Asian Youth Champion in the event’s history. He earned that title in the Ulaanbaatar 2019 edition and joined to the elite national team last year when he competed in Dubai and also in Belgrade. Rustambek Uulu knocked down his Tajik rival, Khurshed Usvaliyev in the first round and he had an energetic performance in the second. The Kyrgyz light middleweight (71kg) boxer landed punches whenever he wanted in the first and second rounds. Usvaliyev performed well only in the third round, found his best rhythm but it was too late to turn back the contest in Tashkent.

Tajikistan’s Davlat Boltayev eliminated Uzbekistan’s No.1 at the heavyweight

Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Togaymurodov claimed silver medal at the Bangkok 2018 ASBC Asian Youth Boxing Championships but he could not expect an easy contest against neighbouring Davlat Boltayev. His Tajik rival was quarter-finalist at the Asian & Oceanian Olympic Boxing Qualifying Event in March 2020 and he is also a top future heavyweight (92kg) hope. Boltayev tried to keep the best fighting distance and worked a lot on feet to found the best counter-attacking positions. The 22-year-old Tajik knocked out his Uzbek rival in the second round and his combinations were dangerous in the later exchanges as well. Boltayev exceeded all of the previous expectations with his speed and footwork therefore his hand was raised after the last gong.

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