Zhussupov and Kunkabayev started well in the Strandja Memorial Tournament

Photo Source: Maria Galabova

The Strandja Memorial Tournament is one of the strongest international boxing event in the whole world which began in Sofia, Bulgaria yesterday with the participation of 36 countries. Among these nations China, Chinese Taipei, India, Kazakhstan, Singapore and Thailand represent the Asian continent. In the first competition day Kazakhstan’s strong duo Ablaikhan Zhussupov and Kamshybek Kunkabayev won their first hard contests in the first competition day in Sofia.
Kazakhstan’s Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games winner and Rio 2016 Olympian Ablaikhan Zhussupov turned to 20 in the recent weeks and moved up to the welterweight (69kg). This category is Kazakhstan’s best and Zhussupov proved he is another big favourite for the strong Central Asian country in the upcoming years. Zhussupov had to meet with Netherlands’ two-time National Champion Xavier Kohlen but his skills were enough to beat his older Dutch rival in the first preliminary round
Kazakhstan’s second big success was delivered by their new super heavyweight (+91kg) No.1 Kamshybek Kunkabayev who won his first Season VII bout in the World Series of Boxing against a strong Uzbek Tiger last weekend. Kunkabayev travelled from Taldykorgan to Sofia short after his WSB triumph and met with India’s AIBA World Boxing Championships quarter-finalist Satish Kumar on Day1. The 25-year-old Kazakh boxer controlled all of the rounds against his tough Indian rival and advanced to the quarter-final.
India’s newly crowned heavyweight (91kg) National Champion Gaurav was in different level than his Bulgarian rival Hayat Rasim and also secured his place in the last eight. India’s best boxer, two-time Olympian Shiva Thapa, who moved up to the lightweight (60kg) in the recent months, lost to England’s super talented Calum French in the first competition day.
Among the Asian nations Singapore is competing in the Strandja Memorial Tournament at the very first time in the history of the event. The top countries of the world such as Russia, Azerbaijan, Ukraine, United States of America and England all sent their best boxers to the Strandja Memorial Tournament.