Syria and China won historical gold medals in the Beijing 1990 Asian Games where seven nations took the titles

The 1990 edition of the boxing tournament of the Asian Games was held in Beijing, China from September 22 until October 7. The event was the eleventh Asian Games and the tenth boxing tournament in the history of the multisport event. China and Syria won their first historical titles in Beijing where seven nations took the gold medals.
The South Koreans have done a remarkable performance their boxers won all of the 12 gold medals in the 1986 edition and they did well also in 1990 with their five titles in the boxing tournament. South Korea topped the medal rankings in 1962, in 1966, in 1970, in 1974, in 1978, in 1982, in 1986 and their boxers continued that tradition also in Beijing.
The first boxing tournament was held in 7 men weight classes in Manila in 1954 but from the second edition boxers could attend in 10 different categories. The Olympic Council of Asia raised the number of the weight classes up to 11 in the 1966 edition and also added a new category raising to 12 the divisions in 1982. Boxers could attend in the 1990 edition from the 48kg up to the +91kg weight categories.
Record number of seven nations achieved at least one title in the 1990 edition of the Asian Games which event was China’s debut in boxing. Next to the five South Korean gold medals Thailand finished as second in the rankings with their two titles in Beijing. China, Pakistan, Philippines, Indonesia and Syria each claimed one gold medal in 1990. Syria bagged its first ever title in the history of the Asian Games.
Thirteen countries won medals in the Beijing 1990 Asian Games, besides to the gold medallists Mongolia, Iran, Japan, India, Laos and Nepal acquired at least one bronze in the Chinese multisport event. The Mongolians claimed one silver and four bronze medals in Beijing which was their peak performance until 1990.
South Korea won the light flyweight (48kg) in the recent editions and their newcomer Yang Suk Jin continued that tradition in Beijing as well. The Korean talent defeated Thailand’s two-time Southeast Asian Games winner Chatchai Sasakul in the final while Philippines’ favourite Elias Recaido claimed only bronze medal in Beijing.
Philippines’ 24-year-old Roberto Jalnaiz attended in the Seoul 1988 Olympic Games and following his international experiences he was able to beat South Korea’s Hwang Kyung Sup in the final of the bantamweight (54kg). One year later Jalnaiz also won the titles in the Asian Boxing Championships and in the Southeast Asian Games.
Syria’s historical first gold medal was achieved by Ahmad Mayez Khanji at the light welterweight (63.5kg) where he was too strong for Japan’s Kunihiro Miura. The host country China also won its historical first title in the boxing tournament of the Asian Games, their Bai Chongguang defeated Iran’s Ali Asghar Kazemi in the final of the light heavyweight (81kg).
Indonesia claimed two gold medals in the boxing tournament of the Asian Games at the middleweight (75kg) in the ’70s and their Pino Bahari continued that tradition in Beijing where he was too strong for Mongolia’s Bandi Altangerel. Pakistan’s lone title in 1990 was achieved by 29-year-old Abrar Hussain who was member of the national team since 1983 and attended in three Olympic Games between 1984 and 1992.
South Korea’s Chae Sung Bae had tough contests against the world’s best boxers therefore he was enough prepared to beat China’s Wang Weixiong in the final of the heavyweight (91kg). His teammate Baik Hyun Man won the gold of the super heavyweight (+91kg) in the Seoul 1986 Asian Games and repeated that performance in Beijing four years later.

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