Uzbek boxers are medallists after the first part of the quarter-finals at the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships

Many of the Asian National Federations worked hard to give chances to their youth boxers to compete in the international stage again including the big powers and several developing nations. Boxers who were born in 2002 and in 2003 are eligible to attend in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships in Kielce which is the first ever global event in Poland.

India’s ASBC Asian Youth Champion Poonam is an unbeaten star who defeated already two opponents in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships. The Indian featherweight (57kg) boxer faced with another promising star, Kazakhstan’s ASBC Asian Junior Champion Nazerke Serik. Poonam impressed in the contest, overcame her Central Asian rival in the attacks and she has done enough to win a medal for India.

Thailand’s Panida Kawkankhun competed in the recent Thai national events among the junior, youth and already at the elite level as well therefore she was the favourite in the quarter-finals of the featherweight (57kg) against Italy’s newcomer Giorgia Paradisi. Kawkankhun kept the safest fighting distance from the first seconds and her smart boxing delivered a medal for Thailand in Kielce.

Uzbekistan’s Sitora Turdibekova caused one the main sensations of the sixth competition day following her performance in the quarter-finals of the women’s featherweight (57kg) against Russia’s Alina Kantemirova. The Uzbek boxer developed rapidly in the recent one and half year since the Ulaanbaatar 2019 ASBC Asian Youth Boxing Championships. Turdibekova was confident against the EUBC European Youth Champion and bowed out one of the favourites in Kielce.

India’s Alfiya Tarannum Akram Khan Pathan is the first girl in their family who could do boxing. Pathan is one of the gold medal contenders of the women’s heavyweight (+81kg) who had a tough battle against Hungary’s Reka Hoffmann but she managed to win the contest. Kazakhstan’s Yeldana Talipova has got already four years of international experiences and she used also well her height advantage against Ukraine’s Viktoria Levchuk. The 18-year-old Kazakh girl dominated the first round and she decided the contest in the second winning it by RSC which guaranteed a medal for Talipova.  

Kazakhstan’s two-time Youth National Champion Yelnur Suyunbay is a fantastic lightweight (60kg) talent who received the right to compete in a major event at the very first time. Kazakhstan’s new pride caught Slovakia’s Adolf Stanek with tough combinations and the referee counted the European boxer very quickly. Suyunbay had the advantages in terms of speed, strength and technique therefore the contest was less than three minutes for him.

Uzbekistan’s Aydos Tagaybayev is a powerful southpaw boxer at the lightweight (60kg) who opened his contest with a quick punch and the referee counted his Polish opponent, Pawel Sulecki. The Chyrchyk-based Uzbek dominated the contest against the host nation’s boxer and won the challenge by unanimous decision. Japan’s ASBC Asian Youth Champion Reito Tsutsumi impressed in the last 16 against Azerbaijan’s tall Jalal Gurbanov and advanced also to the quarter-finals.  

Kazakhstan’s Youth National Champion Dias Molzhigitov had a quick opening contest in Kielce which he followed in the second preliminary round of the middleweight (75kg). The Kazakh boxer was too strong for Venezuela’s Jeremy Alexander Alvarez who survived the difficult moments in the third round but Molzhigitov advanced to the quarter-finals. Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian Junior Champion Nurislom Ismoilov received punches from Belarus’ Andrei Viktarovich and he had a more difficult contest than he expected, but he could manage to win the fight by split decision.

India’s Gitika had two tough contests in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships and following that she had an easier quarter-final against Romania’s Elisabeta Ostan and her impressive attacks delivered for her a quick RSC triumph at the light flyweight (48kg). Gitika advanced to the semi-finals and she remained her chance alive to win the title of the event. Uzbekistan’s Farzona Fozilova proved amazing technical skills in Kielce but she was defeated by Thailand’s Thipsatcha Yodwaree in a fantastic battle.

Kazakhstan’s Zhuldyz Shayakhmetova delivered her best ever performance with perfect timing in the quarter-finals of the women’s lightweight (60kg) where she eliminated Germany’s Ani Manukyan. India’s ASBC Asian Youth Champion Vinka had a tough contest against Colombia’s Camila Camilo Bravo but she also secured her place in the semi-finals of this weight category. The third Asian semi-finalist is Uzbekistan’s Dilfuza Bekova who turned back her contest against Romania’s EUBC European Youth Champion Loredana Andreea Marin.

Iran’s Farhad Moradi is their most experienced national team member who made a confident performance against Mongolia’s Jandos Askhar in the last 16 of the welterweight (69kg). The Iranian boxer won all of the rounds against his Asian opponent and marched into the quarter-finals in Kielce. Uzbekistan’s Alokhon Abdullaev developed strongly since the Fujairah 2019 ASBC Asian Junior Boxing Championships and eliminated his Polish rival, Mateusz Urban and secured his place in the last eight.

The men’s super heavyweight (+91kg) saw tough contests in the end of the evening session when one Asian boxer competed only out of the eight talents, but Uzbekistan’s Jakhongir Zokirov is the main favourite of the category. The 200cm tall ASBC Asian Junior Champion Uzbek dominated the first round against Turkey’s Ahmet Senol and he decided the contest with lethal punches in the second.