Thirteen tough Asians advanced to the quarter-finals in the Hamburg 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships today
The third day of the AIBA World Boxing Championships was held in Hamburg where 40 contests were in the official program. 13 Asian boxers advanced to the quarter-finals in the third competition day in Hamburg and among them Uzbekistan’s Israil Madrimov and Kazakhstan’s Kairat Yeraliyev delivered the best performances.
The total number of the boxers is 243 from 75 nations and among them 57 Asian competitors will be attending for the medals in Hamburg from 15 countries from our continent.
Light flyweight (49kg):
Kazakhstan’s Yerzhan Zhomart received a reserve place for the Hamburg 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships but he eliminated Guatemala’s Michael Tello in the first preliminary round and advanced to the last 16. His next opponent was Philippines’ AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Rogen Ladon in Hamburg which was a spectacular contest for a place to the last eight. Ladon tried to use his longer hands in the bout but the aggressive Kazakh boxer caught him with hooks in the second part of the bout therefore Zhomart delivered a small sensation in Hamburg with his triumph.
India’s Amit Panghal involved to the elite team since his national title which he won last December. The Indian boxer claimed bronze in the ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships in Tashkent and following his triumph over Italy’s Federico Serra he had to meet with Ecuador’s two-time Olympian Carlos Quipo. The Indian talent tried to overcome his opponent in the attacks and his speedy combinations were successful mainly in the second round. Amit Panghal did enough in the bout and he was able to control also the final minutes which meant he advanced to the last eight in Bangkok.
Uzbekistan’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games winner and two-time ASBC Asian Champion Hasanboy Dusmatov also began his campaign in the Hamburg 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships. The Uzbek star met with Costa Rica’s taller Robinson Rodriguez and tried to reduce the fighting distance from the first seconds. The Costa Rican was a hard target in the first round but Dusmatov turned up the heat and won their contest in Hamburg.
Mongolia’s ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships silver medallist Gan-Erdene Gankhuyag was waiting for his debut in the event and he was hungry for a success in Hamburg. The 24-year-old Mongolian had to box against Turkey’s Muhammet Unlu and used his speed to land punches in the target areas. Gankhuyag knocked down his Turkish opponent and his powerful combinations meant he can continue the competition in the last eight.
Bantamweight (56kg):
Kazakhstan’s AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Kairat Yeraliyev eliminated a taller opponent Mexico’s Christopher Florez in the first preliminary round of the competition. The Kazakh boxer had to meet as next opponent with Uzbekistan’s seed No.1 Murodjon Akhmadaliev who claimed bronze in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Yeraliyev tried to keep his Uzbek opponent long and knew the best tactic against Akhmadaliev who moved ahead from the first seconds. Yeraliyev’s successful tactic delivered for him a place in the quarter-finals in Hamburg.
India’s Gaurav Bidhuri moved up to the bantamweight (56kg) in the recent months but it was a successful decision from the 23-year-old talent. The Indian boxer eliminated a hard opponent, Australia’s AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Samuel Goodman in the first preliminary round. Bidhuri started well against Ukraine’s star Mykola Butsenko and knocked down his European opponent. The Indian boxer, who moved up from the flyweight (52kg), was amazing in the second part of the bout and eliminated his top favourite rival in Hamburg.
China’s two-time Asian Games silver medallist Zhang Jiawei was seeded in the Hamburg 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships and used his patient style against Bulgaria’s Stefan Ivanov in the third competition day. The Chinese boxer’s tactic worked well and he knew how can handle the attacks of the Bulgarian hope. Zhang shared his power well enough in the bout and as third Asian he advanced to the last eight in the event.
Light welterweight (64kg):
Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian Champion Ikboljon Kholdarov was born in 1997 but he is among the best boxers in the category. The Uzbek boxer was near to knock out Colombia’s John Lennon Gutierrez in the second round but his South American opponent survived those dangerous moments. The strong Uzbek talent used his strength and speed to keep the best fighting range in the bout therefore the judges had easy job to select the winner. Kholdarov advanced to the last eight in his first ever elite world competition.
Mongolia’s ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships silver medallist Baatarsukh Chinzorig did not feel the tempo in the first round against Hungary’s Richard Kovacs in their last 16 contest. The Mongolian turned up the heat in the start of the second round and his new tactic was successful in the middle part of the bout. The six years older Mongolian did a great final round and his tempo was enough to secure his place in the last eight in Hamburg.
Middleweight (75kg):
Kazakhstan’s WSB Team Champion and ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships bronze medallist Abilkhan Amankul lost only three contests in the recent two and half years and arrived as a favourite to Hamburg. The 20-year-old Kazakh boxer eliminated Australia’s Campbell Sommerville in the first preliminary round and met with Germany’s Silvio Schierle who eliminated Turkey’s Birol Aygun in the previous round. The Kazakh boxer launched more punches than his German opponent and dominated their contest in Hamburg.
Uzbekistan’s Israil Madrimov won all of his AOB and WSB contests in the recent 20 months therefore he arrived to Hamburg as a gold medal contender. Madrimov is not the tallest boxer in his weight class but he has got fantastic speed and powerful jabs which he showed also in the bout against Turkmenistan’s Azizbek Achilov who moved down one weight class in the recent months and qualified for Hamburg. Madrimov was too strong for his neighbouring rival and advanced to the quarter-final in the event.
Heavyweight (91kg):
Kazakhstan’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games silver medallist and three-time ASBC Asian Champion Vassiliy Levit began his campaign in the event against Brazil’s Juan Goncalves Nogueira. The veteran Kazakh boxer was a hard target for the Brazilian and dictated the tempo from the first seconds. The taller Levit moved more in the contest and his counter-attacks worked well mainly in the second round. The final verdict was unanimous decision to the Kazakh star who is in the Top8 in Hamburg.
Uzbekistan had bronze medallist in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games in this weight class but Rustam Tulaganov is already not involved to the team. The Uzbek head coach selected ASBC Asian Youth Champion 19-year-old Sanjar Tursunov who eliminated Nicaragua’s Jeffry Gonzalez in the first preliminary round. The Uzbek boxer delivered sensational performance against Argentina’s AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Yamil Alberto Peralta and used the right tactic against his South American opponent. Tursunov won the bout by split decision and advanced to the quarter-final after his superb triumph.