The quarter-finals are over at the 26th edition of the Asian Boxing Confederation's Men's Elite Championships in Incheon. Fifteen nations secured at least one medal which shows the strength of the continent. China secured six, Kazakhstan five and Uzbekistan, Mongolia and South Korea have still four boxers in the competition.
After defeating the three-time European Champion, Russian Georgiy Balakshin, at the Zlatko Hrbic Memorial Tournament back in March, Jordanian Mohammad Al-Wadi could not expect less than a medal at the Asian Championships. The 26-year-old Arabic Games winner took the lead after the first round with three points against Kyrgyzstan's promising 18-year-old, Mirbek Sherov, and finally triumphed by 25:11.
In the second flyweight quarter-final, Asian Games silver medalist, 22-year-old Chinese Chang Yong, continued his excellent winning series and eliminated India's surprising Santosh Harijan by 14:11. He will fight for the title against Jordan's Al-Wadi.
Uzbekistan's 22-year-old Alisher Mahmudov moved back into his original light flyweight class after the WSB season where he fought in the 54kg. The Uzbek National Champion and AIBA World Championships competitor had an easy victory over Jordan's Abdallah Shamon and has secured at least a bronze medal.
Right after his victory against defending AIBA World Champion Purevdorj Serdamba from Mongolia, AIBA World Championships bronze medalist and Korea's great hope, Shin Jong Hun, had to fight against Kazakhstan's new surprise Azamat Isakulov, who unexpectedly conquered the gold medal at the National Championships. The Korean boxer was magnificent during the fight and won by 28:17.
19-year-old Kao Chih Yuan competed in the major youth tournament last year and has a high number of international bouts. The Taiwanese teenager led by 11:4 against Kuwait's Abdulrahman Al-Shammari after six minutes. The Arabic boxer gave his best to turn the bantamweight fight but Kao Chih Yuan kept his advantage to secure Chinese Taipei's second medal in Incheon.
Beijing Olympic Games quarter-finalist, Tajik Anvar Yunusov, has secured his nation's second medal in Incheon after beating President's Cup winner, Kazakhstan veteran Madi Shulakov, by 22:12. Yunusov now has a chance to reach the gold medal against Kao Chih Yuan.
In the lightweight class, AIBA World Championships competitor 21-year-old Kyrgyz Abdylai Anarbay Ulu from Kyrgyzstan, triumphed over Jordanian veteran Mahmoud Esheish by 19:9. The Kyrgyz fighter's next opponent will be Kazakh National Champion Aydar Amirzakov who eliminated 19-year-old Uzbek Bobur Aytbayev by 18:13.
Mishra Memorial Tournament winner, Indian Balwinder Beniwal, defeated Pakistan's 20-year-old Amir Khan by 28:11 and advanced to the semi-finals in the light welterweight class. In the second quarter-final of the category, AIBA World Championships bronze medalist, Mongolian Uranchimeg Munkherdene, showed his experience - a member of the national squad since 2000 - and beat Kazakhstan's National Championships silver medalist Almazbek Alibekov by 18:11.
AIBA World Championships quarter-finalist, Kazakh Rustam Svayev, became National Champion this year. The tough boxer knocked down the Indian Mandeep Jangra to finally beat his young rival by 21:13. Svayev's next opponent in the welterweight semi-final will be Sydney Jackson Memorial Tournament winner, 20-year-old Uzbek Nodirbek Kosimov, who won against Chinese Taipei's Su Chin Cheng by 24:15.
Chuluuntumur Tumurkhuyag secured another medal for Mongolia and reached his best personal result in Incheon. The 28-year-old Mongolian boxer celebrated his victory over Kyrgyzstan's Nursultan Osmonov and advanced to the middleweight semi-final.
The youngest member of the Turkmen national squad, Nursahat Pazziyev from Ashgabat, secured the only Central Asian medal in Incheon. The 18-year-old Youth Olympic Games bronze medalist was too strong for Iraq's middleweight debutant Omar Kifah Khadim. Their contest was stopped by the referee in the first round.
In the light heavyweight class Jordan's developing boxer, Ahmad Suleiman Al-Teimat, stopped Tajikistan's newcomer, Manushekhrjakhon Sueyev, and will face Korea's 19-year-old Kim Hyeong Kyu. The local teenager had to fight against Nepal's new national hero, Asian Games bronze medalist Deepak Maharjan, who had no chance to beat his young rival in Incheon.
In the heavyweight class, tough Mohammad Nouripour of Iran knocked down Pakistan's veteran Yasir Javed several times before the ringside doctor stopped the contest in the first round when the Iranian boxer was leading by 8:3. The Iranian boxer has been integrated into the national team just this year and therefore achieves the best result of his career.
Syria's only remaining boxer in the competition is Asian Games winner Mohammad Ghossoun, who has a good chance to be crowned in Incheon. On his tough road to the gold medal, the 22-year-old athlete triumphed over AIBA World Championships competitor, Kazakh Daniyar Ustembayev, by 14:10.
Kazakhstan's National Championships silver medalist, 26-year-old Doszhan Ospanov, has been competing in major tournaments since 2004. He had more than enough experience to beat India's newcomer at international level, Arun Hooda, in the super heavyweight division.
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