Ismoilov and Usov won the battle of the stars in the Botvinnik Youth Memorial Tournament on Day2
15 October 2020Two sessions were held in the second competition day of the Botvinnik Youth Memorial Tournament in Minsk, Belarus. Fantastic world class battles were held in the middleweight (75kg) which won by Uzbekistan’s Nurislom Ismoilov and Russia’s Mikhail Usov. The women boxers also began their campaigns in the Botvinnik Youth Memorial Tournament on Day2.
Vladimir Botvinnik was born in 1938 and following his early career, he became Champion of the Soviet Union in 1959 at the age of 21 as the second boxer from Belarus in the history of the event. The seven-time Belarusian National Champion was a successful coach after his athlete career and trained the next generation of boxers in Belarus. Following his awards and dedicated life to boxing the competition was named after him.
The Botvinnik Youth Memorial Tournament is a preparation event before the EUBC European Youth Boxing Championships. The Botvinnik Memorial Tournament was held mostly for the junior boxers in the recent years but the Belarusian Boxing Federation decided to change the age group to youth in 2020. Boxers who were born in 2002 and in 2003 are eligible to attend in the Botvinnik Youth Memorial Tournament.
The safety of all participants, the continuous medical checks, the social distancing, the hygienic preparations, wearing masks and all of the health controls are the responsibility of the local organizers in Belarus to avoid any new Covid-19 cases during the Botvinnik Youth Memorial Boxing Tournament.
The bout of the day
Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian Junior Champion and ASBC Asian Youth Boxing Championships silver medallist Nurislom Ismoilov is another star from the Central Asian powerhouse at the middleweight (75kg) besides to Login Petrov. The 18-year-old Uzbek had to meet in the quarter-final of the weight class with Russia’s Stanislav Sotskov who won international tournaments in the recent two years. The Uzbek ruled the middle of the ring and moved forward while the Russian’s tactic was based on more footwork. Ismoilov’s hooks were dangerous for Sotskov and the Uzbek was able to eliminate a top rival in the bout of the day.
The surprise of the day
Russia’s Mikhail Usov is EUBC European Junior Champion and won other international and national events but he had to meet with Uzbekistan’s unbeaten boxer Login Petrov in the quarter-finals of the middleweight (75kg). The ASBC Asian Junior Champion Uzbek could not prepare well to event successfully due to their long quarantine period and he was not able to repeat his standard performance in the second competition day. Usov was slightly better in the battle of the world stars and won their contest in the Botvinnik Youth Memorial Tournament.
The Round-Up
Kiryl Levankou is one of the most experienced Belarusian boxer in the youth age group who claimed bronze medal at the light flyweight (49kg) in the Sofia 2019 EUBC European Youth Boxing Championships. The 18-year-old boxer competes at the bantamweight (56kg) currently and walked over to the next round against China’s Zhang Ziqian. His teammate Efim Averchenko bowed out an experienced Belarusian Aliaksandr Kareuski in the same bantamweight (56kg).
Russia’s EUBC European Junior Champion Mikhail Grigoryan started his campaign strongly on Day1 and had to meet with his main rival already in the quarter-finals, Uzbekistan’s Mirzabek Mirzakhalilov. The Uzbek boxer caught Grigoryan in the first round of their bout but the Armenian-descent Russian was able to turn back their fantastic battle which was the early final of the bantamweight (56kg).
Three semi-final contests were held among the women part of the Botvinnik Youth Memorial Tournament. Belarus’ Irina Vinogradova eliminated her national rival Polina Siarheyeva at the bantamweight (54kg) which was one of the tightest bouts of the second competition day. Russia’s Junior Nations Cup silver medallist Vladlena Bezlapova had also a close success over Belarus’ Olga Kushnarenka and advanced to the final of the lightweight (60kg).
Belarus’ Vitebsk-based Yan Krukouski claimed bronze medal already in the 2018 Botvinnik Junior Memorial Tournament. The 18-year-old Belarusian moved up to the welterweight (69kg) and as expected he was too strong for his teammate Maksim Kasperovich. The other favourites of the weight category such as Russia’s Dmitriy Zakharov and Uzbekistan’s Sirodjiddin Khozhakhmetov both advanced to the last four in Minsk.
