Russia’s Ilia Popov defeated his Mongolian star rival and advanced to the final of the Governor Cup
11 May 2019The twenty semi-final contests were held in the fourth competition day of the Governor Cup in St. Petersburg, Russia. The winners of the semi-finals remained their chance alive to win the title of the prestigious Governor Cup. Russia’s Youth Olympic Games winner Ilia Popov defeated Mongolia’s Asian Games winner Erdenebat Tsendbaatar in the semi-finals which was a world class fight in St. Petersburg.
St. Petersburg Boxing Federation is hosting the competition in the historical city where the first edition of the Governor Cup was held still in the era of the Soviet Union. Next to the European nations, Brazil, Cuba, Kazakhstan, Mauritius, Mexico, Mongolia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan also sent boxers to the Governor Cup.
Bout of the day
Buenos Aires 2018 Youth Olympic Games winner and EUBC European Youth Champion Ilia Popov of Russia is a 19-year-old talent but his presence is also wonderful in spite of the fact he joined to the elite age group this January. He dominated the quarter-final against his teammate Dmitriy Zubko and marched into the last four where he had a star rival Asian Games winner and ASBC Asian Champion Mongolia’s Erdenebat Tsendbaatar who moved up to the light welterweight (64kg). The Mongolian boxer moved forward without any stoppage but Popov’s counter-attacks were effective in their world class bout. The final verdict was split decision in the favour of the Russian teenager who advanced to the gold medal bout. Popov will be boxing for the gold medal with Armenia’s defending EUBC European Champion Hovhannes Bachkov who eliminated Russia’s Dmitriy Kruzhkov.
Surprise of the day
Russia’s new young hope EUBC European U22 Champion Sergei Iarulin was too smart for Brazil’s Carlos Rocha in the quarter-finals of the bantamweight (56kg). Iarulin used his rhythm well against his older teammate Aleksey Moskvin but surprisingly he lost to the local boxer on Day4. Moskvin’s next opponent will be Uzbekistan’s Youth Olympic Games winner and AIBA Youth World Champion Abdumalik Khalokov who had a close victory over Russia’s experienced Nazir Balayev.
The Round-Up
Armenia’s Rio 2016 Olympian Artur Hovhannisyan attended in the Cologne Boxing World Cup in Germany last month where he advanced to the final of the light flyweight (49kg). The Armenian boxer repeated that performance following his success over Russia’s Amintaza Bekishev in the semi-final. Hovhannisyan will now meet with Cuba’s National Champion and WSB Team Champion Damian Arce who eliminated Russia’s Andrei Potemkin in the second semi-final of the division.
Azerbaijan’s Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympian Masud Yusifzada is their new National Champion at the flyweight (52kg) who finally fought out his top place in the squad. The 23-year-old Azeri boxer eliminated Russia’s Bair Batlayev in the quarter-finals and defeated another local hope Elbrus Soltukhanov in the semi-final. Yusifzada will be meeting for the gold medal with Mongolia’s Enkhmandakh Kharkhuu who defeated Mauritius’ newcomer in the national team Louis Fleurot.
Russia’s Magomed Tinovasov had a sensational triumph over Uzbekistan’s AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Otabek Kholmatov in the quarter-final of the lightweight (60kg) but he was not able to repeat that performance in the last four. Tinovasov was not enough quick to catch Belarus’ Rio 2016 Olympian and EUBC European U22 Champion Dzmitry Asanau and suffered a loss on Day4. The Belarusian No.1 will be facing for the title of the Governor Cup with Cuba’s three-time AIBA World Champion Lazaro Alvarez who controlled his fight against Russia’s WSB boxer Dzhamal Badrutdinov.
Russia’s 2015 EUBC European Champion Petr Khamukov had a tough quarter-final against Uzbekistan’s Jasur Sabirov but following that tight bout, he was more focused against Brazil’s Hebert Carvalho Sousa in the semi-finals. The Russian middleweight (75kg) boxer won their meeting unanimously and advanced to the title contest. Khamukov will have a seven-year younger final opponent EUBC European U22 Champion Aleksey Semykin who eliminated Azerbaijan’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games bronze medallist Kamran Shakhsuvarly and Armenia’s Arman Darchinyan in the recent two days.
Azerbaijan’s EUBC European Youth Champion Mahammad Abdullayev is only 20 but he is one of the most promising super heavyweight (+91kg) boxers who bowed out another super talented young hope Armenia’s hero Gurgen Hovhannisyan in the semi-final of the Governor Cup. Azerbaijan’s new star will be boxing for the gold medal with Moldova’s veteran Alexei Zavatin who was slightly better than Russia’s Nikolay Demich on Day4.
