Kazakhstan dominated the Brandenburg Youth Cup with their seven titles in Germany
12 July 2018The Brandenburg Youth Cup was an important step in the road to the Budapest 2018 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships which event was dominated by the strong Kazakh team. Kazakhstan impressed in the traditional youth event and claimed seven gold medals but Russia and England also won titles in Germany.
The 23rdedition of the Brandenburg Youth Cup was held in the city of Frankfurt an der Oder which has got strong boxing traditions in Germany. The number of the boxers in the Brandenburg Youth Cup was 89 and the participants arrived from three different continents to Frankfurt an der Oder.
Kazakhstan’s ASBC Asian Youth Champion Makhmud Sabyrkhan is only a 17-year-old talent at the light flyweight (49kg) but he is one of the biggest favourites of the upcoming Budapest 2018 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships. The Kazakh boxer eliminated Russia’s Artur Nagapetyan in the semi-final easily but he had to do his very best rhythm in the final against Ireland’s Adam Hession in the final.
England’s super talented Ivan Hope Price is the defending EUBC European Youth Champion who qualified for the Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Roseto degli Abruzzi. Price had a tough quarter-final against Kazakhstan’s new team member Karim Serkebayev but finally his hand was raised. The 18-year-old flyweight (52kg) boxer followed the instructions of his coaches and used a strong tactic in the final against Ireland’s Owen McDonagh which delivered for him a gold medal in Frankfurt an der Oder.
Kazakhstan’s ASBC Asian Junior Champion Biybars Zheksen eliminated Argentina’s Mirko Cuello in the semi-final of the bantamweight (56kg) and after that close triumph he was more confident in the final against Ireland’s John Paul Hale. His teammate Rakhat Seitzhan was too strong for Belarus’ Aliaksandr Radzionau at the lightweight (60kg) while the next gold medal for Kazakhstan was achieved by Talgat Shayken who used his longer reach well against Russia’s Andrey Chunikhin.
Russia’s Artur Demin won medals in their last national events and he was excellent also in the Danas Pozniakas Youth Tournament in Lithuania a few months ago but his gold medal at the welterweight (69kg) was an unexpected success for him in Frankfurt an der Oder. The 17-year-old Russian delivered one of the biggest sensations of the Brandenburg Youth Cup in Germany when he defeated Kazakhstan’s ASBC Asian Youth Champion and Children of Asia Games winner Yermakhan Zhakpekov in the final.
Russia’s has got tough youth boxers at the men’s middleweight (75kg) and in the absence of their No.1 Daniil Teterev two of their athletes advanced to the final of the Brandenburg Youth Cup. Aleksandr Sheshunov had the better pedigree among them and he was able to triumph over Ilia Bogatyrev in the final of the Brandenburg Youth Cup using up his international experiences.
Kazakhstan’s Sagyndyk Togambay had a tough semi-final against England’s EUBC European Confederation Youth Boxing Championships silver medallist Karol Itauma but following that close triumph the ASBC Asian Youth Champion knocked down Belarus’ Aliaksei Alfiorau in the final of the light heavyweight (81kg). After his serious and lethal punches the Belarusian ringside abandoned their fight in time to save their boxer.
Kazakhstan’s sixth gold medal was achieved by Aybek Oralbay who eliminated Austria’s tough Ahmed Hagag in the semi-final and stopped Russia’s Daniil Dubrovskiy in the final of the heavyweight (91kg). Kazakhstan’s last title was won by ASBC Asian Youth Champion Damir Toybay who defeated his two main Russian rivals as Kirill Basalayev and Daniil Sharafutdinov at the super heavyweight (+91kg).
