Shendrik and Dadayev eliminated their fellows in the semi-finals of the Botvinnik Youth Memorial Tournament

The semi-finals were scheduled in the third competition day of the Botvinnik Youth Memorial Tournament in Minsk, Belarus. The nineteen semi-finals delivered tough battles between the Russian, Uzbek, Belarusian and French boxers in Minsk. Russia’s duo, Aleksei Shendrik and Ramazan Dadayev won the selection fights against their teammates and advanced to the finals of the event.

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 

Russia’s two-time EUBC European Schoolboys Champion Evgeniy Zhorov is spending his first year among the youth boxers who was able to keep his weight under control and fights at the flyweight (52kg) as previously in the recent two years. The 17-year-old Russian had to meet in the semi-finals with Uzbekistan’s Fayzullo Khudoyberdiyev who claimed silver medal in their last Youth National Championships. The Uzbek talent found the rhythm well first in the opening minutes but Zhorov also accepted the level of the bout. The Russian won one of the tightest contests of the third competition day and advanced to the finals where he will be meeting with another Uzbek, Dilshod Abduvaliyev. 

The surprise of the day

Russia’s EUBC European Junior Champion Mikhail Grigoryan worked well enough during his road to the semi-finals but he met with his teammate Aleksei Shendrik at the bantamweight (56kg). Their bout was an important selection for the Budva 2020 EUBC European Youth Boxing Championships which is scheduled to be held in November. Grigoryan was smaller than his teammate and moved ahead in all parts of their semi-final but Shendrik’s quick movements surprised him. Shendrik’s counter-punches arrived with perfect timing and he was able to eliminate the top favourite of the weight class.  

The Round-Up

Belarus’ Uladzislau Smolouski had a tough semi-final opponent, Uzbekistan’s Ibragim Ishjonov at the light flyweight (49kg) but the young local talent boxed over his previous level in Minsk and advanced to the finals of the Botvinnik Youth Memorial Tournament. Smolouski is expecting another hard battle in the finals where he will be boxing with another Uzbek, Youth National Champion Avazjon Yuldashev who eliminated Russia’s Robert Badalyan. 

EUBC European Youth Boxing Championships bronze medallist Kiryl Levankou moved up from the light flyweight (49kg) up to the bantamweight (56kg) in the recent months and after his strong progress, he is finalist in the Botvinnik Youth Memorial Tournament. The 18-year-old boxer met with his fellow Efim Averchenko in the semi-finals in a bout where Levankou used his speed to catch his opponent. The final verdict was unanimous decision in the favour of Levankou who had the strong motivation to beat his main national rival. 

Russia’s EUBC European Junior Champion Mikhail Usov had to do his very best in the quarter-finals when he eliminated Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian Junior Champion Login Petrov. The 17-year-old Russian middleweight (75kg) boxer had another hard job in the semi-finals when he faced with Uzbekistan’s 2017 ASBC Asian Junior Champion Nurislom Ismoilov. The Uzbek talent ruled the middle of the ring and caught his Russian opponent several times in the first round. Usov tried to move more on feet and after nine minutes of crucial fights, his hand was raised after the final gong winning the bout by split decision (3:2). 

Two top Russians met in the semi-finals of the light heavyweight (81kg) and that fight was a selection between them before the Budva 2020 EUBC European Youth Boxing Championships in a neutral place. Ramazan Dadayev was a favourite on paper against Vasiliy Kaverin but he controlled his fight better than expected. Dadayev won all of the rounds in each scorecard and advanced to the final of the event where he will be meeting with Belarus’ German Dmukhouski.