Quarter-final day at the AIBA World Boxing Championships in Baku, with eight more boxers from the heavyweight and super heavyweight categories qualifying for the London Olympic Games, 22 different nations secured at least a bronze medal in the event, confirming the sport's worldwide strength and popularity.
China's Beijing Olympic Games winner and two-time AIBA World Champion Zou Shiming secured his third Olympic qualification after battling Thailand's Asian Champion Kaew Pongprayoon. Shiming will now meet Russia's David Ayrapetyan, silver medallist at the last edition of the championships in Milan.
Mongolia's defending AIBA World Champion and Beijing Olympic Games silver medallist Purevdorj Serdamba stopped Cuba's 19-year-old AIBA Youth World Championships bronze medallist Yosvany Veitia in the light flyweight category and will face South Korea's current Asian Champion Shin Jong Hoon in the semi-finals.
England's European Championship silver medallist and Beijing Olympian Khalid Yafai has won several international tournaments in his career but he came up against the excellent US former AIBA World Champion Rau'shee Warren in Baku and was outboxed. The American produced two great rounds to set up a meeting with Russia's Misha Aloyan.
Former European Champion 24-year-old Luke Campbell of England was a winner in his bantamweight contest after he triumphed over defending AIBA World Champion Detelin Dalakliev of Bulgaria 12:8. Tajikistan's current Asian Champion Anvar Yunusov eliminated Russia's Sergey Vodopyanov in that same weight class.
Italy's current lightweight AIBA World Champion, 27-year-old Domenico Valentino still has the opportunity of keeping his title after eliminating Hungary's European Championships bronze medallist Miklos Varga. Valentino will now be fighting Ukraine's Olympic Games winner star Vasyl Lomachenko for a place in the final.
Ukraine's new sensation Denys Berinchyk, who eliminated AIBA World Champion Rosniel Iglesias Sotolongo of Cuba last week, secured Olympic qualification. The Ukrainian University World Champion was too strong for Azerbaijan's European Championships bronze medallist Heybatulla Hajialiyev in the light welterweight category. Berinchyk's next opponent will be England's No.1 Thomas Stalker.
Kazakhstan's team captain, two-time AIBA World Champion and Asian Games winner Serik Sapiyev continued his good campaign in Baku where he defeated US National Olympic Trials winner Errol Spence 20:10, advancing to the semi-finals for the fourth time in his career.
Sapiyev's next opponent will be Lithuania's Egidijus Kavaliauskas, who secured a medal for the 'AIBA Road to Baku' program. The 23-year-old Lithuanian reached a career hight in the championships following his great victory over current European Champion Fred Evans of Wales.
Ukraine's European Championships bronze medallist Taras Shelestyuk triumphed over Russia's AIBA World Championships silver medallist Andrey Zamkovoy at the 2010 European Championships in Moscow and did it again in Baku.
European Cup winner and National Champion Ievgen Khytrov is one of the strongest boxers in the world and his victory over Serbia's 28-year-old Aleksandar Drenovak was no surprise. The young Ukrainian middleweight boxer is still unbeaten this year and will be taking home at least a bronze medal from the competition.
Brazil's 22-year-old Esquiva Florentino Falcao, who eliminated England's Commonwealth Games silver medallist Anthony Ogogo in the previous round, continued his winning streak by defeating Kazakhstan's Asian Games bronze medallist Danabek Suzhanov.
Russia's defending AIBA World Champion and two-time European Championships gold medallist, 27-year-old Egor Mekhontsev had a great battle against Ukraine's Turkish Prime Ministry Tournament winner Oleksandr Gvozdyk. Following a tight first round, Mekhontsev beat his rival 27:21 and will now meet with Cuba's team captain, Julio Cesar De La Cruz.
Uzbekistan's AIBA World Championships silver medallist and Asian Games winner Elshod Rasulov secured at least a bronze medal in Baku after beating Iran's Umakhanov Memorial Tournament silver medallist Ehsan Rouzbahani 15:8.
Russia's defending AIBA World Champion Artur Beterbiev and Ukraine's European Champion Oleksandr Usyk had one of the best fights at these World Championships. The titleholder was eliminated by the virtuoso Ukrainian after an excellent opening round in a spectacular heavyweight battle. Usyk secured the fifth medal for the Ukrainian squad and first position in the team rankings.
Cuba's former AIBA Youth World Champion Jose Angel Larduet secured a bronze medal at the last edition of the worldwide event but was stopped this year in the quarter-final by local hero, Azerbaijan's current European Champion, 18-year-old Teymur Mammadov.
Italy's Beijing Olympic Games winner and two-time AIBA World Champion Roberto Cammarelle had a point advantage after the first round but his tough rival, England's 22-year-old European Championship quarter-finalist Anthony Joshua somehow turned the fight on its head and eliminated the Italian superstar.
Cuba's former AIBA Youth World Champion Erislandy Savon was the favourite against Azerbaijan's WSB Individual Championships silver medallist Magomedrasul Medzhidov in their super heavyweight battle but it was the local boxer who stopped the Caribbean star following some punishing head blows.
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