Mesbahi Rouzbahani bagged his second Asian title but Iksanov, Zaynidinov, Arvaz and Taybekov all are Asia’s big future hopes
Iran’s Mohammad Saleh Mesbahi Rouzbahani defended his throne in the men’s junior boxing event of the second ASBC Asian Championships of the year but Tajikistan’s Biloldzhon Iksanov, Uzbekistan’s Jakhongir Zaynidinov, Kyrgyzstan’s Akhmadi Arvaz and Kazakhstan’s Timur Taybekov all proved their amazing future potentials.
Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Iraq, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Chinese Taipei, Tajikistan, Thailand, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam were the participating 26 nations in the event.
Iran’s Mahdi Rouzbahani eliminated Uzbekistan’s Children of Asia Games silver medallist Khikmatillo Sobirov and he faced for the title of the pinweight (46kg) with Ukraine’s Serhii Artemenko. The Iranians never had finalists in the smallest weight classes therefore Rouzbahani was planning to take a historic title for them. He caught the Ukrainian with a heavy punch in the third round which was a decision-making action between them.
Uzbekistan’s Children of Asia Games winner Elyor Rustamov eliminated Ukraine’s Davyd Molodan in the semi-finals and he controlled his final against Iran’s Sahand Najafi. The Uzbek light flyweight (48kg) boxer knew the weak points of his quick opponent and used his perfect tempo to land shots from longer distance. Rustamov continued his unbeaten series in 2024 and he bagged Uzbekistan’s first junior male gold medal in Al Ain.
India’s Harsh eliminated Turkmenistan’s best junior boxer, Begench Kakamyradov and he met Uzbekistan’s Mukhammadrizo Ukimov in the flyweight (50kg) final today. The Uzbek ruled the middle of the ring in the first round, he used his fighting style against the Indian who launched mostly hooks in the second. Ukimov’s strategy worked well in the third junior male final of the day and he achieved Uzbekistan’s next title in the event.
Uzbekistan’s Bekhruz Kurbonov eliminated a top rival, Ukraine’s Danylo Humeniuk in the semi-finals of the light bantamweight (52kg) but he had another hard job against India’s Raveen in the final. The Uzbek had the height advantage in this bout but he moved forward a lot to make pressure on Raveen in the first and second rounds. Three out of the five judges favoured Kurbonov in this tactical final and he reached his career highlight today.
Tajikistan’s Biloldzhon Iksanov was amazing in the previous rounds and he tried to use the same energetic attacks against Uzbekistan’s Ibrokhim Shokirjonov in the bantamweight (54kg) title bout. The Tajik knocked down his neighbouring rival in the first round therefore all of the judges favoured him 10:9 after two minutes. Iksanov looked stronger and quicker in most of the exchanges therefore Tajikistan bagged the titles in this weight class, both female and male in Al Ain.
Uzbekistan’s Children of Asia Games winner Jakhongir Zaynidinov is one of the stars in the junior male competition. The 16-year-old Uzbek showed his very best against Kyrgyzstan’s Kutmanbiy Muratov in the first round and he was still able to switch into a higher tempo in the second. The Kyrgyz was competitive in the first round but Zaynidinov’s skills decided their featherweight (57kg) final bout in Al Ain.
Uzbekistan’s Saidkhuja Sadillakhujayev was too smart for Iran’s Mohammad Safar Beiranvand and after that success his final opponent at the lightweight (60kg) was India’s Sahil Duhan. The Uzbek won the first and the second rounds using his speed but his Indian opponent did not give up this final. Duhan had a great finish in the third round but his efforts were not enough to achieve the title against such an experienced Uzbek opponent.
Iran’s Ashkan Hashemi and Uzbekistan’s Sukhrob Rakhmatullayev met in the next final in Al Ain to decide the gold medal at the light welterweight (63kg). The 16-year-old Uzbek was a hard target for the Iranian, he worked a lot on feet and did not give too much chance for Hashemi to land shots in closer distance. Rakhmatullayev made limited risks in the second and third rounds but his counter-punches guaranteed his Asian title.
Kyrgyzstan’s Children of Asia Games winner Akhmadi Arvaz met for the title of the welterweight (66kg) Uzbekistan’s Jasurbek Usmonjonov in Al Ain as next. The best Kyrgyz junior talent was too strong for the Uzbek in the first round and the referee counted Usmonjonov after his heavy shots. The 16-year-old Kyrgyz had all of the routine, strength and stamina to win Kyrgyzstan’s first junior title, their next after Amantur Dzhumayev’s success in 2023.
Iran’s Mohammad Saleh Mesbahi Rouzbahani is the titleholder in the competition and following his success over India’s Prashant, he met Uzbekistan’s Diyorbek Murodilloyev at the light middleweight (70kg) to get his second Asian junior title. The Iranian used his virtuoso style of boxing in the first round and all of the judges favoured him after two minutes of fantastic fight. The Iranian had the Uzbek and Cuban style of boxing in this final and he defended his throne in Asia.
Kazakhstan’s unbeaten boxer this year, their brilliant Timur Taybekov and Uzbekistan’s Asilbek Abdusamadov marched to the finals of the strong middleweight (75kg). The Kazakh felt the tempo well in this final bout and he proved his outstanding performance, continuing his winning path in the main event of the year. Kazakhstan’s next finalist Yerubay Turlybay also defeated an Uzbek boxer in his final bout, Jakhongir Ergashev at the light heavyweight (80kg). Uzbekistan’s Islam Salikhov eliminated his main rival, Kazakhstan’s Vladislav Samozhonov in the semi-finals of the heavyweight (+80kg) but he did not underestimate Ukraine’s Volodymyr Derkach. Salikhov gained the control in the first round and he followed the strategy of his coaches which they built for him in the final therefore the Uzbek bagged their seventh male junior title.
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