Shakhobiddinova earned her second Asian title and Chinese Taipei’s got the first historic junior gold in Astana as the highlights of the session
Uzbekistan’s Sobirakhon Shakhobiddinova became the only female junior boxer who defended her throne in the ASBC Asian Youth & Junior Boxing Championships in Astana.
India won five titles, Uzbekistan four, Kazakhstan three while Chinese Taipei bagged a historic female junior gold medal in the afternoon session.
Hong Kong, India, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Palestine, Philippines, Tajikistan, Thailand, Chinese Taipei, Turkmenistan, United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, Vietnam, and Yemen are the 22 participating nations in the event.
Uzbekistan’s Maftuna Musurmonova is the first gold medallist in Astana
Two 15-year-old talents such as Kazakhstan’s Aiym Tankibayeva and Uzbekistan’s Maftuna Musurmonova advanced to the finals of the women’s pinweight (46kg). The Uzbek girl was confident in the first round and she found the best rhythm earlier than the local girl therefore she took the lead on the judges’ scorecards. Tankibayeva turned up the heat in the second round and she remained her chance alive to win the final contest but the Uzbek girl had the strong finish to take the title of the weight class.
Shen Sin Ai is Chinese Taipei’s first historic winner
Chinese Taipei’s Shen Sin Ai was their first finalist in the championships who tried to keep the long distance against Kazakhstan’s Sila Bibolsynkyzy from their opener. Shen used her strategy better in the second round than in the first and she had some advantages on the judges’ scorecards after two minutes. Chinese Taipei’s new pride opened the last round with quick jabs but Bibolsynkyzy replied also to her actions in this exciting light flyweight (48kg) final. Shen Sin Ai was slightly better today and she became Chinese Taipei’s first ever winner in the history of the ASBC Asian Junior Boxing Championships.
Pari is India’s first gold medallist
Uzbekistan’s Robiya Ravshanova tried to follow Musurmonova’s pathway and earn her nation’s second gold medal in Astana. The Uzbek flyweight (50kg) boxer started better than India’s Pari and she had the advantage on the judges’ scorecards after two minutes in this strong southpaw battle. The Indian tried to land her jabs when Ravshanova’s defense was not organized well after her attacks and those punches were important factors in the second round. Pari reached the target more times in the decisive third round and she bagged India’s first title in the championships.
Nisha used her jabs to win the Asian title
India’s Nisha used her height advantage against Uzbekistan’s Muslima Turgunova in the first round of their light bantamweight (52kg) final and she controlled the first round from her distance. Timur Akhbayev’s pupil, the young Uzbek girl tried to be more aggressive in the second and third rounds but she received jabs from the Indian side. Turgunova had hard road to the finals and the Indian looked more fresh in the fourth final of the championships therefore Nisha’s hand was raised after the last gong.
Aiyazhan Sydyk is the host nation’s first gold medallist
Kazakhstan’s Aiyazhan Sydyk had powerful performance in the previous stages of the championships and she trusted on her strength at the bantamweight (54kg) final as well. Her opponent, Zukhro Rustamova was only participant in the 2022 Uzbekistan Junior National Championships but she progressed quickly this year. Sydyk stopped one of the Uzbek attacks with a heavy jab in the middle of the first round and the smaller Kazakh had the quicker actions in this final. Sydyk was supported by the local fans and she reached her career highlight with this Asian junior title in Astana.
Sevara Mamatova destroyed Vini’s dreams
India’s Vini won the title of the 2022 ASBC Asian Junior Boxing Championships before her 15th birthday and she returned to the competition to defend her throne. The tall Indian was the favourite against Uzbekistan’s Sevara Mamatova at the featherweight (57kg) final in Astana but the Central Asian surprised her in the first round. Mamatova, who moved up to this weight class this year, landed strong hooks and she looked quicker in the exchanges which meant the Indian was not able to win her second Asian junior title.
Kassymkhan is Kazakhstan’s second gold medallist
Kazakhstan’s Tolganay Kassymkhan was too strong for her opponents at the lightweight (60kg) in this championship and she tried to do the same against India’s Chirom Joyshree Devi. Sydyk won Kazakhstan’s first gold medal in Astana and Kassymkhan tried to repeat that in the front of her family. Kassymkhan worked a lot in the first round and three out of the five judges favored after two minutes of battle and the local girl had the punctual close distance shots to take the title.
Kudaigenova is Kazakhstan’s third winner in Astana
Uzbekistan’s Aselya Tulegenova and Kazakhstan’s Alina Kudaigenova advanced to the finals of the junior light welterweight (63kg) in Astana where the local favourite had the 4:1 advantage on the judges’ scorecards after one round. The Kazakh southpaw used her left-handed jabs effectively and she felt the distance also well enough to gain the control in the second round as well. Kudaigenova is a debutant in the international events but she won the title of the weight class and became the best in Asia.
India won the title of the welterweight
Chinese Taipei’s Kao Chun Ai impressed in the championships following her national titles in the recent two years and she had the strong game plan against India’s Dhull Nidhi in the welterweight (66kg) final. The Indian’s jabs were effective in the first but Kao began the second round with several punches therefore the only the last two minutes were the decisive between them. Kao did not maintain the best fighting distance well in the final and the Indian celebrated the next gold medal in Astana.
Akansha Phalaswal earned a surprise gold medal
India’s Akansha Phalaswal and Kazakhstan’s Akbota Yessimbekova both opened the first round with several clean shots. The Kazakh girl dictated the tempo in this light middleweight (70kg) final bout but her defensive skills were not so skilled and the Indian was in better position after two rounds to take the title. Yessimbekova had a fantastic finish in their final contest but he was not able to turn back the tenth bout of the day.
Maftuna Yangiyeva secured Uzbekistan’s next gold medal
Aruzhan Zeinollayeva competed at the heavyweight (+80kg) last year but she moved down to the middleweight (75kg) in 2023 and she fought out her place in the junior national team once again. The 16-year-old Kazakh and her Uzbek opponent, Maftuna Yangiyeva started slowly in the first round and they were looking for the best attacking angles in this tactical final. The stronger Uzbek boxer had a dangerous weapon in this final, her left-handed hooks which were decisive today.
Sheokand is on the top of the podium at the light heavyweight
Uzbekistan’s Rukhshona Parpiyeva eliminated the defending champion of the light heavyweight (80kg) already in the semi-finals but she had difficulties in the first round against India’s southpaw Megha Sheokand today. The smaller Uzbek moved ahead more in the second round and she tried to catch Sheokand with jabs and hooks. The Indian controlled the final period as well and she earned her nation’s fifth gold medal in the junior female part of the championships.
Shakhobiddinova defended her heavyweight throne
Uzbekistan’s Sobirakhon Shakhobiddinova arrived in Astana as the defending champion of the heavyweight (+80kg) and she has done also a fantastic job in the semi-finals. The 16-year-old Uzbek was patient in the first round against India’s Bhumisha Sharma but she launched a powerful jab in the end of the period. The Hungarian referee counted the Indian after that action and Shakhobiddinova finished this final in the second round earning her second Asian title after 2022.
Don’t forget you can keep up with all of the action, news, results and photos by following ASBC on Facebook and Instagram.
ASBC website: www.asbcnews.org
ASBC Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ASBC.Boxing/
ASBC Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/asbc_official/
ASBC Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/BoxingAsian?s=08