Who will be the heroes of the men’s weight classes at the Asian Games?

The first competition day of the Asian Games will be starting on August 24 and we have seven different men weight classes in Jakarta.
Who will be our biggest men stars?
Who will be our new heroes?
What can we expect before the Asian Games in our seven men weight classes?

Men’s 49kg:
Uzbekistan’s boxing icon Hasanboy Dusmatov is the current Olympic Games winner, two-time ASBC Asian Champion who won also the Val Barker Trophy in 2016. The 25-year-old boxer is aiming for his first ever Asian Games title in Jakarta but he suffered an unexpected loss in the Republic of Kazakhstan President’s Cup in June.
Dusmatov’s main rivals could be Philippines’ AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships bronze medallist 20-year-old Carlo Paalam who won international elite tournaments in Kazakhstan and in Thailand, furthermore Kazakhstan’s Amman 2013 ASBC Asian Champion Temirtas Zhussupov who regained his place in the national team after beating Yerzhan Zhomart at home.
South Korea’s Shin Jong Hun was gold medallist in the 2014 Asian Games in home ring in Incheon and claimed silver in the 2011 AIBA World Boxing Championships but he is currently not in the same level as few years ago. Shin returned to the sport to defend his title but Dusmatov, Paalam and Zhussupov are definitely in better form now.
India’s Commonwealth Games silver medallist Amit Panghal, Syria’s Islamic Solidarity Games winner and ASBC Discovery in 2017 Hussin Al-Masri, Iran’s strong Omid Ahmadisafa, China’s experienced WSB boxer Wu Zhonglin and Chinese Taipei’s Tu Po Wei are also strong medal contenders. Indonesia’s President’s Cup winner Mario Kali achieved bronze in the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament in July and aiming for a medal in local environment.

Men’s 52kg:
Uzbekistan’s Jasurbek Latipov, Uzbekistan is two-time silver medallist in the AIBA World Boxing Championships and he is the reigning ASBC Asian Champion but he suffered several unexpected losses since the Hamburg event. The flyweight (52kg) could be one of the most difficult weight classes in the boxing tournament of the Asian Games.
India’s Gaurav Solanki was gold medallist in the Commonwealth Games following his wonderful youth career and the 21-year-old athlete suffered only one loss in 2018 therefore he could be one of the biggest hopes in Jakarta. Kyrgyzstan’s most experienced national team member Azat Usenaliev was ASBC Asian Champion in 2013 and returned this year with tournament titles and in top form.
China’s Hu Jianguan claimed bronze medals in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, in the Doha 2015 AIBA World Boxing Championships and also in the 2015 ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships therefore he is aiming for a final in Jakarta. Kazakhstan’s Islamic Solidarity Games winner Azat Makhmetov is a new national team member but he is well experienced.
South Korea’s Kim In Kyu and Philippines’ Rogen Ladon both were bronze medallist in the AIBA World Boxing Championships and will be strengthened this category. Indonesia’s best man boxer Aldoms Suguro won the gold medal in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur and aiming for a medal in Jakarta. Mongolia’s ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships silver medallist Gan-Erdene Gankhuyag, Thailand’s Yuttapong Tongdee and Rio Test Event winner Ryomei Tanaka, who moved back to the flyweight (52kg), are also boxers who need to be watched.

Men’s 56kg:
Kazakhstan’s Kairat Yeraliyev won the gold medal in the Hamburg 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships and the 28-year-old boxer could be the main favourite of the bantamweight (56kg) following his unbeaten record in 2018.
Uzbekistan’s Shakhobiddin Zoirov is the Olympic Champion but he was not able to qualify himself to their squad as he was lost to his younger teammate Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov who defeated him in the Governor Cup in Russia. The ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships silver medallist Mirzakhalilov received the right to box in a big elite event at the very first time.
Thailand’s ASBC Asian Champion and AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist veteran Chatchai Butdee could be one of Yeraliyev’s main rival in Jakarta. India’s Chemistry Cup winner and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Mohamed Hussamuddin another big Asian prospect in this weight class.
Japan’s super talented 19-year-old Hayato Tsutsumi was AIBA Youth World Champion in 2016, he is two-time ASBC Asian Youth Champions but Jakarta will be his first big test among the elite boxers. Mongolia’s Rio 2016 Olympian Enkh-Amar Kharkhuu won his last preparation event the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament and he is also among the top hopes in Jakarta.
Philippines’ Incheon 2014 Asian Games bronze medallist Mario Fernandez, Turkmenistan’s Islamic Solidarity Games silver medallist Yakub Meredov, Kyrgyzstan’s Kadyrov Memorial Tournament winner Sirodjiddin Abdullaev, DPR Korea’s Jo Hyo Nam, Tajikistan’s former AIBA Junior World Champion Asror Vohidov and Indonesia’s Sunan Agung Amoragam are all experienced boxers in the international stages.

Men’s 60kg:
Following the incredibly strong bantamweight (56kg) the next category will see similar level of fights. A Mongolian boxer Dorjnyambuu Otgondalai is the titleholder in Asian Games but another talented boxer from his country Rio 2016 Olympic Games quarter-finalist 21-year-old Erdenebat Tsendbaatar could be a gold medal contender in Jakarta.
Kazakhstan’s youngest team member Samatali Toltayev will be turning to 19 only later this year and could be a new teenage sensation. The Kazakh youngster was silver medallist in the 2016 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships and he is ASBC Asian Youth Champion but the Asian Games will be his big debut in the elite level.
India’s Shiva Thapa is a two-time Olympian and former ASBC Asian Champion boxer who regained his place in the national team after one year of break but 2018 was not his top season. A 20-year-old hope Shunkor Abdurasulov of Uzbekistan, who achieved bronze in the 2016 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships, has done his successful debut in the elite level this year and his expectations are high following his WSB and AOB results.
Turkmenistan’s No.1 Hursand Imankuliyev developed step by step in the recent four years and after those experiences he claimed gold medal in the 2018 Feliks Stamm Memorial Tournament in Poland. DPR Korea’s Korotkov Memorial Tournament winner Choe Chol Man is a talented boxer who defeated Philippines’ former ASBC Asian Youth Champion strong James Palicte as well in 2018.
Indonesia’s Farrand Papendang worked harder than any of his teammates to do something big in the Asian Games. China’s Shan Jun, Chinese Taipei’s Lai Chu En and Japan’s Arashi Morisaka were all Rio 2016 Olympian boxers and have got the potential to win at least a bronze medal in Jakarta.

Men’s 64kg:
Four boxers have got realistic chance to win this light welterweight (64kg) in the Asian Games. Uzbekistan’s Ikboljon Kholdarov was silver medallist in the 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships and he is the defending ASBC Asian Champion in spite of the fact he is only 21 now.
Kazakhstan’s Bekdaulet Ibragimov joined to their national top team in 2017 and following medals and tournament titles he defeated Uzbekistan’s Ikboljon Kholdarov in a close contest at the Republic of Kazakhstan President’s Cup. Thailand’s No.1 Wuttichai Masuk is the titleholder in the Asian Games but he suffered a loss to Mongolia’s Rio 2016 Olympian and ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships silver medallist Chinzorig Baatarsukh in the final of the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament.
Jordan’s Obada Al-Kasbeh was Rio 2016 Olympian and bronze medallist in the 2014 Asian Games which are strong results but following his six different training camps he is in top form and besides to the four stars he could be a surprise in Jakarta.
Kyrgyzstan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships bronze medallist Nurlan Kobashev and Turkmenistan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships bronze medallist 20-year-old Muhammet Berdibayev are also strong boxers.
Japan’ Daisuke Narimatsu and India’s Dheeraj are technician boxers but they were not enough strong in the preparation events in 2018. South Korea’s Lim Hyun Suk and Sri Lanka’s best male boxer Dushan Dinidu Saparamadu have got strong international experiences.

Men’s 69kg:
Two-time WSB Team Champion Aslanbek Shymbergenov of Kazakhstan won all of his contests in the Season VIII of the World Series Boxing and claimed gold medals in the Republic of Kazakhstan President’s Cup, in the Feliks Stamm Memorial Tournament and also in the Bocskai Memorial Tournament which means he remained unbeaten in 2018.
Uzbekistan’s Islamic Solidarity Games winner Bobo-Usmon Baturov replaced Shakhram Giyasov and Makhmud Gaipov in the national team and could be Shymbergenov’s main rival in Jakarta. Lim Hyun Suk’s twin brother Lim Hyun Chul was silver medallist in the 2014 Asian Games as a teenager and he is looking for more in the Indonesian capital.
Iran’s best male boxer Sajjad Kazemzadeh was bronze medallist in the 2017 ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships and since then he claimed silver medals in three international competitions.
China’s two-time Olympian Xinjiang-based veteran Maimaitituersun Qiong is member of the national team since 2006 and he knew everything about the sport such as India’s two-time Olympian Manoj Kumar but the oldest competitor in this weight class will be Thailand’s three-time Olympian Saylom Ardee.
Japan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships bronze medallist Issei Aramoto will be turning to 19 only later this year but his strength is incredible. Another young talent 19-year-old Zeyad Eshaish of Jordan is also an experienced boxer in the international stage as Aramoto and member of the new wave in Asia. Kyrgyzstan’s Vakhitov Tournament winner Abdurakhman Abdurakhmanov is also a young hope who replaced Ermek Sakenov in the national squad.

Men’s 75kg:
Kazakhstan’s Abilkhan Amankul was named as ASBC Asian Youth Athlete of the Year in 2015 and three years later he is one of the gold medal contenders in the middleweight (75kg) where four boxers are over the others. Kazakhstan’s 21-year-old pride was silver medallist in the Hamburg 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships.
Uzbekistan’s Israil Madrimov achieved silver medal in the Incheon 2014 Asian Games at the age of 19 and following he moved up to the middleweight (75kg) he became a bigger star. The defending ASBC Asian Champion Madrimov has got 1-1 record against Abilkhan Amankul of Kazakhstan.
India’s Vikas Krishan Yadav was Asian Games winner in 2010 and Commonwealth Games winner in 2018 besides to his plenty of medals from the big events. Philippines’ first AIBA Junior World Champion Eumir Felix Marcial was silver medallist in the 2015 ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships and following two titles in the Southeast Asian Games he is aiming for at least a bronze medal in Jakarta.
Besides to the four stars of the middleweight (75kg) Syria’s Mediterranean Games winner and ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships bronze medallist Ahmad Ghossoun and Iran’s Seyed Shahin Mousavi are experienced boxers. Chinese Taipei’s 20-year-old Kan Chia Wei developed well and his tough punches could be dangerous for the top boxers as well.

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