Zaynidinov and Salikhov made strong debuts at the Uzbekistan Youth National Championships

The Uzbekistan Youth National Championships was held in the city of Ferghana where two of the previous junior stars such as Jakhongir Zaynidinov and Islom Salikhov both won the gold medals on their debuts in this age group.

Ferghana is famous of its boxing schools and it is located in a valley which continues in Kyrgyzstan and in Tajikistan as well. The number of the boxers was 269 and the participants could compete from the minimumweight (48kg) up to the super heavyweight (+92kg) in Ferghana.

Boxers from the 2007 and 2008 age group were eligible to participate in the competition and the bests will be selected for the 2025 international events. All regions from Uzbekistan joined to the Youth National Championships and the featherweight (57kg) was the most popular in Ferghana.

The Ferghana region won the medal standings with 4 gold, 2 silver and 3 bronze medals in the Youth National Championships. The Bukhara region became the runner-up with three gold medals, while the Tashkent region, the city of Tashkent and the Khorezm region each won two gold medals in the national event.

Tashkent region’s Odilshokh Khalimov achieved the first gold medal in the competition, he had the speed to beat Amirbek Ismoilov of Bukhara at the minimumweight (48kg).

Tashkent’s 17-year-old Abdulaziz Abdunazarov competed for Uzbekistan in the recent Youth World Boxing Championships in Budva, Montenegro and he had the strong performance to beat all of his four rivals while the ASBC Asian Junior Champion Elyor Rustamov surprisingly lost his first contest.

Tashkent’s Abdurakhmon Makhmudjonov was the seed No.1 at the bantamweight (54kg) and he had the strong performance to beat Sardorbek Khamdamov in the final. Tashkent region’s Khusan Kokhkhorov had two difficult contest at the featherweight (57kg) but he managed to beat both of them, Khamidullo Gafforov and Asliddin Ruzimurodov as well.

Bukhara’s Jakhongir Zaynidinov is one of the top Uzbek talents in the 2008 born age group and he is the reigning ASBC Asian Junior Champion at the featherweight (57kg). The 16-year-old boxer moved up to the lightweight (60kg) but his technical skills were enough to beat his main rivals such as Oybek Ruzmatov and Avazbek Kholmatov.

Mukhammadali Akramov walked over to the next title, while Khusanboy Rustamjonov and Abdulaziz Abdulkhamidov both had to do impressive final rounds to win their finals. Ruslan Esanov of Bukhara was the main favourite at the middleweight (75kg) but he suffered a loss in the final to Mukhammadjon Yakupboyev of Khorezm region.

Norbek Abdullayev moved up to the light heavyweight (80kg) but he celebrated his success after the final against Asilbek Abdusamadov. Bukhara’s Samir Sobirov (86kg) and Ferghana’s local hero, Mukhammadrizo Siddikov (92kg) controlled their categories.

Islom Salikhov is the defending ASBC Asian Junior Champion, the Junior World Champion and he is unbeaten in Uzbekistan as well. The 16-year-old boxer made his debut at the super heavyweight (+92kg) and he stopped all of his rivals including Khikmatullo Rozikjonov in the final. Bukhara’s Salikhov could be the new Uzbek Bakhodir Jalolov and Jakhongir Zokirov in this king weight class.

The list of the winners at the 2024 Uzbekistan Youth National Championships

 48kg: Odilshokh Khalimov

 51kg: Abdulaziz Abdunazarov

 54kg: Abdurakhmon Makhmudjonov

 57kg: Khusan Kokhkhorov

 60kg: Jakhongir Zaynidinov

 63.5kg: Mukhammadali Akramov

 67kg: Khusanboy Rustamjonov

 71kg: Abdulaziz Abdulkhamidov

 75kg: Mukhammadjon Yakupboyev

 80kg: Norbek Abdullayev

 86kg: Samir Sobirov

 92kg: Mukhammadrizo Siddikov

 +92kg: Islom Salikhov

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