Tajikistan will send record number of 13 strong boxers to the Asian Games

Tajikistan is one of the promising boxing countries and their management selected maximum number of 13 boxers to the Asian Games. This is the very first time when Tajikistan is able to send women boxers in all of the weight classes and the country has strong expectations to achieve Olympic spots in Hangzhou.

Tajikistan earned altogether one gold three bronze medals in the boxing history of the Asian Games but the Central Asian boxing power had only the participation in five editions. Their first participation was the 2002 Busan edition where Mekhroj Umarov and Abdusalom Khasanov earned bronze medals. The Asian Champion and Olympian Jakhon Kurbonov bagged their lone title in boxing in the 2006 Doha edition.

Ali Bobodjanov, Khurshed Djurayev, Mirzo Shamsiyev, Rustam Muzafarov and Asomiddin Burkhonov are the national coaches who selected the team and led the preparation programs to the Asian Games. Tajikistan bagged a bronze medal at the recent Men’s Elite World Boxing Championships in Tashkent and the team reached further quarter-final places.

Rukhafzo Khaknazarova represented Tajikistan in the recent two editions of the Women’s World Boxing Championships and she will be their light flyweight (50kg) boxer in Hangzhou. Nigora Olimova (54kg) is a newcomer in this level but the ASBC Asian Boxing Championships bronze medallist Mizhgona Samadova is a strong hope at the women’s featherweight (57kg).

Bibinashastamo Kholova competed for Tajikistan in the junior, youth and U22 age groups and for the first time she will be able to participate in main elite competition. The most experienced female national team member is the Asian medallist Shoira Zulkaynarova who moved up to the welterweight (66kg). As Olimova, the National Champion Mekhrinoz Muzafarzoda (75kg) is also a new addition to the women’s national team.

The 21-year-old Mekhron Shafiyev is the new National Champion at the flyweight (51kg) and he will be making his international debut in the Asian Games. The former Junior World Champion Asror Vokhidov is back on track, he was not only returned to the events but he reached the Top8 at the last World Boxing Championships.

The powerful and technician Bakhodur Usmonov is Asian Champion, Tokyo Olympian, World Boxing Championships bronze medallist therefore his expectations are high in the upcoming Asian Games. Dovud Makhkamov is an U22 boxer who competed for Tajikistan at the light middleweight (71kg) in the previous main championships.

The Tokyo Olympian Shabbos Negmatulloev is member of the national team since 2013 and he has all of the experiences to get a medal in the Asian Games. The ASBC Asian U22 Champion Davlat Boltayev is one of the secret favourites of the heavyweight (92kg) in Hangzhou. The tall Mukhammad Abroridinov has excellent athletic skills and he will compete for Tajikistan at the super heavyweight (+92kg).

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