Kazakhstan’s team includes six World Champions in the upcoming Asian Games
Kazakhstan has selected its experienced team to the Asian Games, the boxing power will send maximum number of 13 super strong boxers to Hangzhou including six World Champions and two Tokyo Olympic medallists.
Kazakhstan earned altogether 16 gold, 13 silver and 12 bronze medals since the country joined the Asian Games in 1994. The last Jakarta edition was not so successful for them, the Kazakhs claimed only two silver medals but their team amazed in the previous ASBC Asian Boxing Championships and World Boxing Championships.
Nazym Kyzaibay is two-time World Champion and ASBC Asian Champion as well and the 30-year-old technician boxer is aiming for her first ever Olympic spot during the Asian Games. Another strong Kazakh female boxer, a former Olympian, Zhaina Shekerbekova has 14 years of international experiences, she claimed titles and medals in all of the major championships and she could be a strong hope at the women’s bantamweight (54kg).
A World silver medallist, Karina Ibragimova moved down to the featherweight (57kg) in the beginning of this Olympic cycle and she is the defending ASBC Asian Champion in this category. Rimma Volosenko joined the national team in 2016 and her career highlight is a gold medal from the 2021 ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships.
Natalia Bogdanova is one of the most developed female boxers in the national team and she defeated such stars in her homeland as Nadezhda Ryabets and Dariga Shakimova to secure her place at the welterweight (66kg). Valentina Khalzova was gold medallist at the 2016 Women’s World Boxing Championships and finally she found her best category, the middleweight (75kg).
The Tokyo Olympic Games bronze medallist Saken Bibossynov was World Champion at the flyweight (51kg) in 2021 and he has the fantastic technical skills to reach another highlight in Hangzhou. Makhmud Sabyrkhan is another World Champion who moved up to the featherweight (57kg) a few months ago and he defeated a star boxer, Serik Temirzhanov to get his flight tickets to the Asian Games.
Kazakhstan had a few issues at the light welterweight (63.5kg) in this Olympic cycle but might be the 26-year-old Yertugan Zeinullinov could be their solutions. Aslanbek Shymbergenov is the reigning World Champion and ASBC Asian Champion at the light middleweight (71kg) and the 30-year-old boxer plans to switch his silver from 2018 into gold in the upcoming edition.
The reigning World Champion at the light heavyweight (80kg), Nurbek Oralbay is another strong gold medal hopeful in the Asian Games. A former ASBC Asian Youth Champion talent, Sagyndyk Togambay replaced Nurbek’s twin brother, Aibek Oralbay at the heavyweight (92kg). The Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Kamshybek Kunkabayev is a silver boy in Asia but he has strong potential to earn a spot for Paris 2024.
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