KIELCE (Poland): Uzbekistan’s Shakhzod Muzafarov and Japan’s Reito Tsutsumi won the closest final contests at the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships on Saturday.
52 nations from four different Confederations, who had sent 414 boxers to the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships.
Russia, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Cuba, India, Japan and Ukraine shared the gold medals of the men’s finals.
Kazakhstan’s Tashkenbay wins men’s 49kg
Russia’s EUBC European Youth Champion Robert Badalian eliminated Thailand’s master Ritthiamon Saengsawang in the quarter-finals and his excellent style of boxing was also proven in the semi-finals of the light flyweight (49kg). The Russian talent met with Kazakhstan’s Sanzhar Tashkenbay in the first male final of the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships, and he used a different tactic than in the previous rounds.
The Kazakh boxer found his rhythm earlier than Badalian and took the lead on the scorecards after three minutes of fight. The Russian tried to play his game in the second round which was successful against his Thai and Azeri rivals.
Badalian returned to the match and tried to move on feet more, but his Kazakh opponent could follow his steps and defeated the Russian by split decision.
“My coach had a great strategy against the Russian in the final and I followed that. I believed that could do my best and I felt good in the title contest. Thanks to the Kazakhstan Boxing Federation for support me, it was a good fight today,” said Tashkenbay.
Uzbekistan’s Muzafarov wins Men’s 52kg
Uzbekistan’s, Shakhzod Muzafarov eliminated Japan’s ASBC Asian Junior Champion, Daiya Kira in the quarter-finals and he proved to be at his best performance on the road to the finals.
The Uzbek Elite National Championships silver medallist Muzafarov maintained the best fighting distance well in the first round against Russia’s Evgenii Zhorov and he looked quicker than his opponent.
Muzafarov, began the second round more actively and caught Zhorov with several combinations while the Russian tried to land punches from a longer distance.
Muzafarov controlled the middle of the ring and his effectiveness, footwork, and speed were enough to beat his Russian opponent once again.
“I was ready for this fight and I knew my Russian opponent from the previous tournaments. I defeated him in the past and I was sure about that I can do it once again in AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships,” said Muzafarov.
Other winners
56kg – Sachin (India)
60kg – Reito Tsutsumi (Japan)
64kg – Sabyrzhan Akkalykov (Kazakhstan)
69kg – Yuriy Zakharieiev (Ukraine)
75kg – Mikhail Usov (Russia)
81kg – Vasiliy Kaverin (Russia)
