Asia's best youth boxers competed in the Asian Youth Championships from March 3 until March 10 where Kazakhstan took four gold medals, India, Iran and China claimed two each and Uzbekistan won one gold medal despite the fact that the two best Uzbek youth boxers, Bobur Aytbayev and Kobiljon Bobodjanov, did not take part in the event - they are still preparing with full speed for the AIBA Youth World Championships.
Altogether, 122 boxers from 20 nations entered the seven-day Asian Youth Championships, held in the Iranian capital city of Tehran for 17- and 18-year-old boxers. Only Iran, India and Kazakhstan took part with full 11-member teams. Uzbekistan and China sent 10 boxers to the championships, Turkmenistan competed with 8 athletes, Thailand and Tajikistan entered 7 each and Mongolia, Thailand, Philippines, Syria, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Chinese Taipei, Jordan, Sri Lanka, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Malaysia and Singapore competed with fewer athletes.
In the first final of the championships in the lowest weight category, experienced Masoud Rigi of Iran defeated India's spearhead Devendro Laishram Singh 5:0, energizing the local spectators from the start. In the 51kg final, AIBA Junior World Championships bronze medalist and reigning National Youth Champion Burgut Khodjibayev of Uzbekistan lost to Jiang Jinyong of China. One of the favorites in the flyweight class, Sadayori Aoki of Japan, was defeated by 17-year-old Arman Amjadian of Iran in the quarterfinal.
Nurbol Kalzhanov of Kazakhstan defeated AIBA World Championships silver medalist Tugstsogt Nyambayar of Mongolia 1:0 in the bantamweight final. Nyambayar went up a category in January, but in his first event of his new class he was not as successful. The bantamweight's other star, Shiva Thapa of India, traveled back home without a medal.
Kyzylorda-based Yerkin Duisenbayev continued Kazakhstan's gold series when he won the featherweight class final after beating Venkat Giddi Nagarjun of India easily at 9:1. The result showed the power of the Kazakh boxer because Duisenbayev was only a silver medalist in the National Youth Championships and winning the gold in Tehran is proof that he has stepped up his game.
In the lightweight class, Children of Asia Games winner Vikas Krishnan of India beat Phonwirat Patithangkho of Thailand 4:0. Talented National Youth Champion 17-year-old Meirim Nursultanov of Kazakhstan claimed his nation's third gold medal after beating Akramjon Mamadjonov of Uzbekistan 4:2 in the 64kg ranks. Akramjon's brother, Heydar Aliyev Junior Cup bronze medalist Ahmad Mamadjonov won the welterweight class final, beating rising star Nursakhat Pazziyev of Turkmenistan, thus claiming his nation's only gold medal in Tehran.
Relatively unknown Wen Yinnang of China deservedly won the middleweight class, defeating the category's top boxers: Children of Asia Games winner Nursultan Kozhabekov of Kazakhstan, Darioush Hosseini of Iran and finally 17-year-old Sumit Sangwan of India.
Naveen Kumar ensured that India ended the final day on a high by defeating Zhang Aolin of China 4:2 in the 81kg category and National Youth Champion 17-year-old Askar Kupensheyev of Kazakhstan beat Salar Gholami of Iran 4:3, also bringing honor to his country.
The "Tajik Valuyev" 218cm tall Mekhrodjiddin Karimov of Tajikistan was the favorite in the super heavyweight class, but he lost to Daulet Musabayev of Kazakhstan in a close semifinal, with a final score of 11:10. In the end, the gold medal went to Iran when Farhad Molaei beat Musabayev in the final.
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