There is no stoppage in the world of boxing, the next event the 26th Asian Men's Elite Boxing Championships will be held near the capital of South Korea, in Incheon from August 3 until August 12.
The original host of the championships the Jordan Boxing Association could not organize the continental event in Amman in June therefore the event has been re-scheduled to August.
Altogether 160 boxers from 23 nations entered the ASBC's biggest event of the year: China, Chinese Taipei, India, Indonesia, Iran, Iraq, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Laos, Mongolia, Nepal, Pakistan, Palestine, Philippines, South Korea, Sri Lanka, Syria, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Uzbekistan.
Joining to the host Korean team China, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan will be attending at the championships with full 10-member team while Bangladesh, Malaysia, North Korea, Qatar and Vietnam will be missed during this edition of the event.
The host nation's team includes their best boxers such as AIBA World Championships bronze medalist 22-year-old Shin Jong Hoon, Athens Olympian Hong Moo Won, talented bantamweight boxer Lee Jin Young and Asian Games silver medalist lightweight athlete Han Soon Chul therefore they have got high number of medal contenders representing the home crowd.
The Chinese team will be taking part at the championships without Olympic Games winner Zou Shiming who has been training for the upcoming AIBA World Championships. The team's top boxer are Beijing Olympic Games silver medalist Zhang Zhilei, Asian Champion Li Chao, Asian Games silver medalist Zhang Jiawei and former Asian Games winner Hu Qing.
The Uzbek squad arrived with the youngest team to the Asian Championships without two-time AIBA World Champion Abbos Atoyev and two-time Asian Games winner Elshod Rasulov but despite their best boxer's absences the Central Asian nation have high medal expectations in Incheon. Tsarukyan Tournament silver medalist Jasurbek Latipov, Beijing Olympian Khurshid Tojibayev, National Champion Shukhrat Abdullayev, Sydney Jackson Memorial Tournament winner Rustam Tulyaganov and World Series of Boxing athlete Ramezjon Ahmedov have got great chance to reach a valuable results in the event.
Kazakhstan is one of the biggest Asian boxing nations since its independence and despite the fact that their top athletes will be missed the Asian Championships its squad still contains a lot of star fighters. AIBA World Championships quarter-finalist Rustam Svayev, former National Champion Aydar Amirzakov, Manger Memorial Tournament winner Almazbek Alibekov, National Champion Ilyas Suleymenov and Asian Championships bronze medalist Dauren Yeleussinov have each got great expectations for Incheon.
Beijing Olympic Games winner Enkhbat Badar-Uugan can not take part at the championships due his injury but in his absence the Mongolian team will be extremely strong. Their head coach included in the team reigning AIBA World Champion Purevdorj Serdamba, AIBA World Championships silver medalist Tugstsogt Nyambayar, Asian Games silver medalist Enkhzorig Zorigtbaatar, AIBA World Championships bronze medalist veteran Uranchimeg Munkherdene and strong Byamba Tuvshinbat who moved up into welterweight.
The Indian squad consists qualified athletes such as Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Amandeep Singh, talented Santosh Harijan, Asian Championships silver medalist Jai Bhagwan Singh, Beijing Olympian Dinesh Kumar and Commonwealth Games winner Paramjeet Samota therefore they will be a strong side in Incheon.
Philippines' national squad is led by the Saludar brothers, Rey and Victorio who were both medalists at the last Asian Games in Guangzhou. Former Asian Games winner Joan Tipon returned to the sport with top form while lightweight Charlie Suarez also has medal expectations in Incheon.
Reigning Asian Champion Serdar Hudayberdiyev and Asian Championships silver medalist Omar Mametshayev will travel the Turkmen team while Beijing Olympic Games quarter-finalist Anvar Yunusov and Djakhon Kurbanov also will be competing at the championships as part of the Tajik team.
Only four Syrian boxers will be taking part at the championships due the huge travelling distances but the quality of the squad is really high. Asian Games winner Mohammad Ghossoun is the heavyweight top favourite while Asian Games bronze medalist Wessam Salamana and World Military Games silver medalist Hussin Al-Masri are also medal contenders at the upcoming Asian Championships.
The Jordan squad is also in good recent form and their best boxers such as Zlatko Hrbic Tournament winner Muhammad Al-Wadi, Arabic Champion Seif Emad Qraish and another Arabic Champion strong heavyweight Ihab Darweish Al-Matbouli each will be competing at the Asian Championships.
The Iraqi team have been in permanent training for the tournament and their squad's new head coach is Kazakhstan's legendary trainer Damir Budanbekov therefore success will be guaranteed for Iraq in the next few years.
The Japanese team performed well this year but only Ryota Murata will be competing at the championships from their first team but he is certainly a medal contender in Incheon. Yang Yu Ting of Chinese Taipei also has chance to reach a medal in the same middleweight class in the Korean city.
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