Kazakhstan Boxing Federation’s Men’s Elite National Championships are running in the city of Uralsk and turned into its medal phase. AIBA Youth World Champion Sabyrzhan Akkalykov and AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Yerzhan Zhomart suffered unexpected losses in the quarter-finals. Many of their new young U22 talents won their key contests and joined the semi-finals as guaranteed medalists.
The Kazakh male boxers earned two bronze medals at the Tokyo Olympic Games but their squad was impressed in the AIBA Men’s Elite World Boxing Championships. Temirtas Zhussupov and Saken Bibossynov bagged gold medals in Belgrade, Makhmud Sabyrkhan and Serik Temirzhanov both earned silver while Ablaikhan Zhussupov took his third bronze. Their Kazakhstan National Championships will be one of their last activities after the busy year of 2021 and the best boxers can compete in the upcoming main events.
The Kazakhstan Men’s Elite National Championships have been scheduled in the official 13 weight divisions in Uralsk: minimumweight (48kg), flyweight (51kg), bantamweight (54kg), featherweight (57kg), lightweight (60kg), light welterweight (63.5kg), welterweight (67kg), light middleweight (71kg), middleweight (75kg), light heavyweight (80kg), cruiserweight (86kg), heavyweight (92kg) and super heavyweight (+92kg).
The flyweight (51kg) is always strong in Kazakhstan and their AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Yerzhan Zhomart was one of the favorites for the title. The 28-year-old Turkestan region’s boxer was not able to keep the rhythm that was dictated by Kuanysh Duisenbay and suffered an unexpected loss. His opponent not only controlled the contest but his strength was decisive and won their quarter-final by RSC. Young hopes as Damir Abdykadyr, Timur Kabdeshov, and Nursultan Nuridenov are still in the semi-finals and could be dangerous for Duisenbay.
Talgat Syrymbetov is a 20-year-old talent at the men’s bantamweight (54kg) who attended the 2018 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships. He claimed medals in various elite international tournaments and the Karagandy region’s boxer impressed in his quarter-final when he met with Samat Zhetibayev. Former WSB boxer Olzhas Bayniyazov, Daulet Moldashev, and ASBC Asian Youth Champion 18-year-old Nursultan Altynbek all advanced to the semi-finals in this weight class.
ASBC Asian Youth Champion Biybars Zheksen joined the elite age group in January 2020 and used the recent nearly two years to increase his defensive skills and tactical knowledge. The 20-year-old boxer is one of the main favorites of the featherweight (57kg) and he faced his regional rival from the Dzhambul region, Maksut Kylshabay.
Zoeken was a hard target and used his speed advantage to decide their quarter-final contest in Uralsk where last year’s silver medallist Orazbek Assylkulov, AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships silver medallist Yerbolat Sabyr and Aidos Arapov are the further boxers in the semi-finals.
In the absence of star Ablaikhan Zhussupov, AIBA Youth World Champion Sabyrzhan Akkalykov was named as a top favorite for the gold medal at the welterweight (67kg) but the 19-year-old boxer suffered an unexpected and narrow loss to Miras Yertanov of Almaty region. Almaty region’s 20-year-old Darkhan Duisebay has got now better chance to take the title of this weight class and win his contest over Madi Altynbayev.
Dulat Bekbauov and former ASBC Asian Junior Champion Daulet Nysan are also in the last four of this strong weight category. Yermakhan Zhakpekov achieved a silver medal at the Budapest 2018 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships and he was ASBC Asian Youth Champion that year. The 21-year-old boxer competes at the light middleweight (71kg) and won his quarter-final over Alikhan Mekebayev in a one-sided bout. Zhakpekov’s next rival will be Nurzhan Amangeldi who stopped the experienced Arman Sailau in the last eight.
Nurkanat Rays received the right to represent Kazakhstan in a big event at the Belgrade AIBA World Boxing Championships and he proved top performance in Serbia. The 21-year-old boxer defeated Almaty’s Ilyar Ashirov in the quarter-final of the middleweight (75kg) but he can expect a superb fight in the last four against AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships bronze medallist teenage hope, Dias Molzhigitov. Another boxer from Belgrade, Youth Olympic
