Two-time AIBA Women’s World Champion Nazym Kyzaibay wins in the Galym Zharylgapov Tournament

The Galym Zharylgapov Tournament delivered high number of big battles in the elite women and in the elite men competitions as well. Host Kazakhstan claimed eleven gold medals among the possible thirteen in the Serik Sapiyev Olympic Center but China and Uzbekistan also did well enough in the Galym Zharylgapov Tournament.
The Galym Zharylgapov Tournament was held in the city of Karagandy which is located in the Northern part of Kazakhstan. Besides to the host Kazakhstan their neighbouring countries Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, China and Tajikistan also sent talents among their best boxers to the event in Karagandy. Women and men boxers could also compete for the medals in Karagandy which was the 33rd edition in the history of the event.
Kazakhstan’s two-time AIBA Women’s World Champion Nazym Kyzaibay eliminated China’s ASBC Asian Women’s Champion E Naiyan in the quarter-final, Uzbekistan’s Tursunoy Rakhimova in the semi-final and finally she was able to beat Uzbekistan’s 18-year-old Azizabonu Mamirova in the final of the Zharylgapov Tournament. Tajikistan’s national team member female boxer Svetlana Veglina missed to get any medal this time.
Kazakhstan’s 20-year-old Karina Ibragimova walked over to the final against Uzbekistan’s Gulnoza Rakhmatova in the semi-final and had to meet for the gold medal with another Uzbek youngster Rio 2016 Olympian Yodgoroy Mirzaeva. Ibragimova did perfect performance against her second Uzbek rival in the final of the lightweight (60kg) and won her first big international tournament during her career.
Kazakhstan’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships quarter-finalist 20-year-old Violetta Knyazeva eliminated Uzbekistan’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships competitor Nafisakhon Askarova in the semi-final and she was also too strong for Kazakhstan’s Akerke Bakhytzhan in the final of the middleweight (75kg).
In the first men final of the Zharylgapov Tournament Kazakhstan’s 18-year-old Zhandos Nesipzhan defeated his teammate Almaty region’s Alisher Aytkozhanov who was also born in 1998 as the eventual winner. Kazakhstan’s Karagandy-based Akinet Baltabayev had to meet in the final of the flyweight (52kg) with 18-year-old Orazbek Asylkulov which he could solve with his best tactical weapons while former Youth National Champion Rustem Shaumenov claimed only bronze medal.
Kazakhstan’s Bekzhan Kuralov competed in international events in Russia and other countries but he was not the favourite of the bantamweight (56kg) in Karagandy. The young talent walked over to the gold medal against Kanat Turganbayev while Erlan Tamemov and Kyrgyzstan’s multiple international tournament winner Sirodjiddin Abdullaev failed to get any medal in Karagandy.
Kazakhstan’s Sergey Makarikhin delivered the next sensational performance at the lightweight (60kg) where he defeated Almaty region’s Miras Yertanov while Aidar Imangaliyev and 18-year-old Vasiliy Samchuk claimed the bronze medals. National Championships bronze medallist Maksat Zheksenbi won the next gold medal following his success over 22-year-old Nikolay Shvab while Kyrgyzstan’s strong duo Abdurakhman Abdurakhmanov and Daniyar Damirdin Uulu both lost their quarter-final contests.
Kazakhstan’s Sergey Karbivnichiy surprised the crowd with his performance in the final of the welterweight (69kg) where he defeated Vladislav Preobrazhenskiy while Tajikistan’s former National Champion Ibodullo Karimov advanced only to the last 8 in Karagandy. Kazakhstan’s next gold medal was delivered by Rustam Zhumagulov who defeated former ASBC Asian Junior Champion Vladislav Stolbovskiy while China’s Tuo Heta and Kazakhstan’s 2013 AIBA Junior World Champion Rakhat Marzhikpayev won the bronze medals at the middleweight (75kg).
China’s newcomer in the national team Jiang Hujia eliminated Kyrgyzstan’s Rio 2016 Olympian Erkin Adylbek Uulu in a top semi-final bout which was the main surprise of the light heavyweight (81kg). The young Chinese talent was able to continue his wining path against another favourite Kazakhstan’s Abzal Kuttybekov and won the title in the Zharylgapov Memorial Tournament.
In the final of the heavyweight (91kg) Kazakhstan’s Tammer Tournament winner Aleksey Sevostyanov was too strong to his Taraz-based 20-year-old teammate Bekzhan Bakirov who defeated Tajikistan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships bronze medallist Nodir Mukhammadiyev in the quarter-final.
China’s Xinjiang-based Ai Hemaiti did a big surprise in the final of the super heavyweight (+91kg) when he was too strong for Kazakhstan’s former ASBC Asian Junior Champion 19-year-old Dmitriy Zisko. Another Chinese boxer Abulaiti Abudusemaiti defeated Kazakhstan’s FISU University World Champion Nursultan Amanzholov in the quarter-final of the event.

Winners in the Galym Zharylgapov Tournament
Women’s 51kg: Nazym Kyzaibay, Kazakhstan
Women’s 60kg: Karina Ibragimova, Kazakhstan
Women’s 75kg: Violetta Knyazeva, Kazakhstan
Men’s 49kg: Zhandos Nesipzhan, Kazakhstan
Men’s 52kg: Akinet Baltabayev, Kazakhstan
Men’s 56kg: Bekzhan Kuralov, Kazakhstan
Men’s 60kg: Sergey Makarikhin, Kazakhstan
Men’s 64kg: Maksat Zheksenbi, Kazakhstan
Men’s 69kg: Sergey Karbivnichiy, Kazakhstan
Men’s 75kg: Rustam Zhumagulov, Kazakhstan
Men’s 81kg: Jiang Hujia, China
Men’s 91kg: Aleksey Sevostyanov, Kazakhstan
+91kg: Ai Hemaiti, China