Today's Edition
Al Ain (Aletihad)
Young boxers, male and female, from Uzbekistan and India justified their heavy presence at the second Asian Junior Boxing Championships by dominating the podiums and the medal tally after Monday's proceedings.
Both countries came with a big contingent each and after the finals for the boys and girls, Uzbekistan's haul as leaders read 23 medals while India finished behind at 21. Uzbekistan had a better golden run with 14 medals of the colour along with six silvers and three bronze. India finished with four golds, eight silvers and nine bronze medals at the ADNEC Centre in the garden city.
There were others from different countries who impressed too. Iran's Mesbahi Rouzbahani defended his throne in the men's junior boxing event but Tajikistan's Biloldzhon Iksanov, Uzbekistan's Jakhongir Zaynidinov, Kyrgyzstan's Akhmadi Arvaz and Kazakhstan's Timur Taybekov all showcased their amazing future potential.
Iran's Mahdi Rouzbahani eliminated Uzbekistan's Children of Asia Games silver medallist Khikmatillo Sobirov and he faced for the title of the pinweight (46 kilogrammes) with Ukraine's Serhii Artemenko.
The Iranians never had finalists in the smallest weight classes therefore Rouzbahani was planning to make it memorable. He caught the Ukrainian with a heavy punch in the third round which had a decisive ring to it.
Uzbekistan's Children of Asia Games winner Elyor Rustamov eliminated Ukraine's Davyd Molodan in the semi-finals and he controlled his final against Iran's Sahand Najafi. The Uzbek light flyweight (48kg) boxer knew the weak points of his quick opponent and used his perfect tempo to land shots from longer distance.
Rustamov remains unbeaten this year as he bagged Uzbekistan's first junior male gold medal in the championship.
Meanwhile, the Uzbek duo of Sevara Mamatova and Maftuna Yangiyeva defended their women's junior titles, and so did Alina Kudaigenova of Kazakhstan. Uzbekistan's Maftuna Musurmonova was one of the titleholders among the female junior finalists and she reached the pinweight final as expected where she came up against India's Joni.
Known by her single name and daughter of a driver, Joni took the first round but her Uzbek rival fought back in the next. However, Joni upped her game to convince the judges to rule in her favour in the decisive round.
Uzbekistan's Robiya Ravshanova met India's Chandrika Pujari for the light bantamweight title (52kg). The Uzbek landed several nice hooks in the first round and she continued her clinical performance in the second to achieve her nation's second gold medal of the day.
Junior World Champion Sevara Mamatova is famous of her tough punches and justified her top billing, coming in too strong for Kazakhstan's Sofiya Vashchenko in the lightweight (60kg) final when the referee had to count her opponent. Vashchenko survived the most difficult moments but Mamatova won her next big title, her third in 10 months.
Her compatriot Yangiyeva dominated her semi-final at the middleweight (75kg) against India's Anshika Dabas before she met Kazakhstan's Zarina Tolybay for the title. The latter was no match as Yangiyeva was at a different level and defended her throne easily. India's Prachi Tokas won the last female final bout of the day when she defeated Kazakhstan's Sabina Zhaksylyk in the heavyweight (+80kg) class.
