Kholmurodov and Mirzarakhimov are the stars in the Uzbekistan Youth National Games

Uzbekistan Boxing Federation hosted its Youth National Games for the men boxers in the city of Dzhizak. AIBA Junior World Champion Bilolbek Mirzarakhimov and Pavlyukov Youth Memorial Tournament winner Samandar Kholmurodov won their weight classes but several of their stars were not able to get the titles in Dzhizak.

The preliminaries and the quarter-finals of the Uzbekistan Youth National Games were held in April and the top four boxers met each other in the two-day long final stage in Dzhizak. The event was their last selection for the upcoming ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships which will be held in Bangkok, Thailand on July 1-7.

Dzhizak’s Junior National Champion Samandar Kholmurodov will be celebrating his 17th birthday only in August but he won the strong Pavlyukov Youth Memorial Tournament in Russia this March. Kholmurodov, who is gold medal contender in the upcoming ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships in Bangkok, defeated Kashkadaryo’s Mirzabek Murtozoyev and Uzbek Youth National Cup winner Bukhara’s Farkhodjon Jabborzoda in the final stages of the Youth National Games.

Tashkent region’s Uzbek Junior National Cup winner Abdumalik Khalokov will be turning to 17 only later this year as Samandar Kholmurodov but he was able to get the second gold medal in Dzhizak. Khalokov failed to get any medal in the 2016 Uzbekistan Junior National Championships but this time he was in top form. The young flyweight (52kg) boxer eliminated ASBC Asian Junior Champion Bakhodir Barotov in the semi-final and continued his winning path against Pavlyukov Youth Memorial Tournament quarter-finalist Ramazon Ziyatov in the gold medal bout.

Tashkent region’s Beket Makhmutov Youth Cup bronze medallist Zoyirjon Jumanazarov claimed the gold medal in the Uzbekistan Youth National Cup in November 2015 but he was not the favourite in the final of the bantamweight (56kg) against Bukhara’s AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships bronze medallist and Pavlyukov Youth Memorial Tournament winner Halimbek Utegenov. After the first tactical round both boxers received warning from the referee in the second therefore the final result depended on their performance in the last frame. Jumanazarov was efficient and worked better in the final round therefore he was able to beat his strong favourite rival in the gold medal bout.

Bukhara’s ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships silver medallist Saidjamshid Jafarov claimed the next gold medal in the Youth National Games. The lightweight (60kg) talent eliminated Navoy’s Umurzak Achilov in the semi-final and he was too strong also for Andizhan’s Islombek Yunusov in the final. They met each other in the final of the 2014 Uzbekistan Junior National Cup as well and the result was the same in Dzhizak, Jafarov defeated his rival.

Ferghana’s Bilolbek Mirzarakhimov won the AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships in 2015, the ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships in 2016 and claimed silver in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships six months ago. Mirzarakhimov moved up to the light welterweight (64kg) but he was too quick for Tashkent region’s national team member Jakhongir Rakhmonov and Andizhan’s Uzbek Junior National Cup winner Asadbek Shodibayev in the Youth National Games.

Tashkent region’s ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships silver medallist Temurbek Sadullayev was excellent in the junior age group and he joined to the youth level this January. The 17-year-old welterweight (69kg) boxer controlled his contests in Dzhizak against Ferghana’s Mangiberdi Abdurasulov and Surkhandarya region’s Mukhammadali Gofurov therefore he could celebrate his title in Dzhizak.
Khorezm’s Uzbek Junior National Cup silver medallist Rajabboy Atanazarov competed in international events in Russia and in Kazakhstan therefore he was enough experienced to do big things in the final stage of the Youth National Games. The 18-year-old middleweight (75kg) boxer developed well enough in strength therefore Bukhara’s Abdukarim Farmonov and Tashkent’s younger hope Alimardon Abdujabborov were not able to stop him in the Youth National Games in Dzhizak.

Samarkand’s Olimjon Toshniyozov claimed bronze medal in the Uzbekistan Junior National Cup in 2014 and he was also bronze medallist in the Uzbek Junior National Games two years ago therefore he was not the favourite of the light heavyweight (81kg). Samarkand’s pride eliminated Tashkent region’s Beket Makhmutov Youth Cup bronze medallist experienced Timur Ergashev which was a big surprise in the semi-finals. Toshniyozov has to meet in the final with Shakhzod Mauzerov who delivered the main sensation of the whole competition after beating Tashkent’s AIBA Junior World Champion Timur Merzhanov in the semi-finals. Toshniyozov looked fresh and energetic in the final and has done another surprise triumph in the final of the Youth National Games.

List of the winners in the Uzbekistan Youth National Games
 49kg: Samandar Kholmurodov, 2000
 52kg: Abdumalik Khalokov, 2000
 56kg: Zoyirjon Jumanazarov, 1999
 60kg: Saidjamshid Jafarov, 1999
 64kg: Bilolbek Mirzarakhimov, 1999
 69kg: Temurbek Sadullayev, 2000
 75kg: Rajabboy Atanazarov, 1999
 81kg: Olimjon Toshniyozov, 1999

Kincses Tibor