Sufijonov and the Uzbek boys were the stars in the male finals of the CIS Youth Games

Following the women’s finals, the men’s title bouts featured in the seventh and last competition day at the Commonwealth of Independent States Games in Orsha, Belarus. Tajikistan’s Meroj Sufijonov is one of the new youth stars while the Uzbeks won seven out of the thirteen male weight categories in the Games.

The core nations of the Games are Armenia, Azerbaijan, host Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan. The guest nations of the CIS Games were Bahrain, Cuba, Egypt, Iran, Kuwait, Lebanon, Malaysia, Mongolia, Oman, Pakistan, United Arab Emirates, Venezuela and Vietnam this time.

Altogether 20 sports are in the official program of the Games including boxing where youth pugilists from the 2005 and 2006 age groups are eligible to compete. Armenia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Iran, Kyrgyzstan, Pakistan, Russia, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan were the participating countries in the boxing event.

Tajikistan’s Meroj Sufijonov won an international youth tournament on February and the 18-year-old boxer remained unbeaten this year following the CIS Games. The Tajik minimumweight (48kg) boxer delivered his nation’s lone gold medal and defeated Kyrgyzstan’s Zafarbek Kamilov in this hard final.

Uzbekistan’s Samandar Olimov trains with Mr. Dovron Gafurov and he developed rapidly in the recent months. The Uzbek bantamweight (54kg) boxer was a hard target for Russia’s David Balanov and he earned a fantastic gold medal in Orsha. His teammate, Abdullokh Madaminov delivered another sensational performance against Azerbaijan’s European Junior Champion Mahammadali Gasimzade.

Boburbek Bobojonov claimed already a gold medal at the 2019 ASBC Asian Schoolboys Boxing Championships and he impressed in the final of the light welterweight (63.5kg) against Belarus’ Aliaksei Khatsakou. The 18-year-old Uzbek controlled all of the three rounds and he earned his nation’s third gold medal in the Games.

Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian Junior Champion Shavkatjon Boltayev landed decisive punches in the second round against Azerbaijan’s Ziya Hasanov and the referee confirmed his RSC success at the light middleweight (71kg) final. Uzbekistan’s Youth World Champion Fazliddin Erkinboyev won the next final in the same way as Boltayev, he stopped Azerbaijan’s Farhad Sheydayev at the middleweight (75kg).

Another Uzbek star, the Youth World Champion Javokhir Ummataliyev moved up three weight categories this year but he was too strong for Kyrgyzstan’s Mukhammadaziz Zakirov at the light heavyweight (80kg). A younger Uzbek talent, Khalimjon Mamasoliyev delivered the seventh gold medal of the Central Asian boxing power, he triumphed over Russia’s Danil Myraviev at the heavyweight (92kg).

Tajikistan’s promising Anushervon Fazylov and Kyrgyzstan’s ASBC Asian Youth Champion Almaz Orozbekov lost their finals to Russian opponents but both claimed silver medals.

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