AIBA REPORT: #Nanjing2014 ends with golden success for youth boxers

#Nanjing2014 Youth Olympic Games Boxing Final Day

Following the women’s finals, the gold medal bouts for the men’s boxers were held in the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games, as the boxing tournament of the Games finished with many spectacular contests.

America’s Shakur Stevenson, Cuba’s Javier Ibanez Diaz, Kazakhstan’s Abylaykhan Zhussupov, Uzbekistan’s Bektemir Melikuziyev, Bulgaria’s Blagoy Naydenov, and Cuba’s Yordan Alain Hernandez all achieved the gold medal in the Nanjing following their triumphs in the AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships.

Men’s Light Flyweight class (49 kg):
Uzbekistan’s Sulaymon Latipov was a quarter-finalist at the 2013 AIBA Junior World Championships in Kiev, and following that result he claimed silver in the AIBA Youth World Championships in Sofia this April.

The 17-year-old Light Flyweight class (49 kg) boxer fought for the gold against Azerbaijan’s Rufat Huseynov.

Latipov defeated his rival in April, but Huseynov was able to claim his win back in their rematch.

The Azeri teenager was a silver medallist in the EUBC European Junior Continental Championships in Anapa, Russia, and this time he was able to claim gold in his second final of a major international competition.

Men’s Flyweight class (52 kg):
There was no US medals won in the last edition of the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore, but after Jajaira Gonzalez reached the top of the podium yesterday, Shakur Stevenson, who won the last edition of the AIBA Junior World Championships in Kiev and the AIBA Youth World Championships in Sofia as well claimed the second US gold of the boxing competition.

The 17-year-old fought against China’s Lu Ping, and controlled the first round with his speed the main difference between the two boxers.

His unanimous decision confirmed the dawning of a new US star.

Men’s Bantamweight class (56 kg):
Cuba’s best youth boxer, Javier Ibanez Diaz put himself into the spotlight when he won the Roberto Balado Cup in 2011, and since then he has won all of his national and international bouts.

The defending AIBA Youth World Champion triumphed over Bulgaria’s Dushko Mihaylov Blagovestov in the semi-final of the qualification event in April, and following their first bout they had to fight once again in Nanjing.

Ibanez is the king of the Bantamweight class (56 kg), and the boxer was too smart for his European opponent once again, as he used his counter-attacks to dance away from the Bulgarian attacks.

The Cuban kept his unbeaten series by winning all of the rounds in Nanjing, and he could be Cuba’s next excellent weapon at the elite level from 2015.

Men’s Lightweight class (60 kg):
Kazakhstan’s Abylaykhan Zhussupov had an incredibly hard draw in the AIBA Youth World Championships in Sofia, but he was able to win the event to continue his unbeaten series.

Zhussupov is the current AIBA Junior World Champion, and AIBA Youth World Champion. while he has also won all of the recent Asian continental events as well.

Kazakhstan’s 17-year-old star had to meet with Cuba’s AIBA Junior World Champion Alain Limonta Boudet in the Nanjing final, and the Central Asian boxer was at his best in the opening round.

The Cuban athlete adapted well to the bout in the second round, but Zhussupov was more energetic in the final stanza, and it was his hand that was raised yet again at a major competition.

Men’s Light Welterweight class (64 kg):
Japan’s Toshihiro Suzuki and Italy’s Vincenzo Arecchia both eliminated tough competitors in Nanjing, and should have been boxed for the title in the final.

Unfortunately an injury suffered by Suzuki in the semi-final meant he could not step into the ring on the last competition day, which saw Vincenzo Arecchia winning Italy’s first gold medal in the boxing tournament of the Youth Olympic Games.

Men’s Welterweight class (69 kg):
Uzbekistan’s second finalist in Nanjing was their AIBA Youth World Champion Bektemir Melikuziyev, who travelled to the Games as the top favourite of the Welterweight class (69 kg).

He has trained with coach Maruf Akhmedov in the city of Ferghana since 2006, and he has been in great form over the past year.

His final opponent was Dominican Republic’s AMBC American Youth Continental Champion Juan Ramon Solano, who was defeated by Melikuziyev in Sofia in April.

Uzbekistan’s youth star continued his great record over Solano, by dominating all of the rounds in their rematch, and knocked down his Dominican southpaw opponent in the final round en route to gold.

There is no question he is the best youth athlete at the Welterweight class (69 kg), and the Uzbek boxer has competed in the Middleweight class (75 kg) in several international events this year as well.

Men’s Middleweight class (75 kg):
Russia’s defending AIBA Youth World Champion Dmitriy Nesterov was the favourite of the Middleweight class (75 kg) in Nanjing, but his final opponent was Ukraine’s distinguished AIBA Junior World Champion Ramil Gadzhyiev.

Nesterov won their first meeting in the semi-final of the Pavlyukov Youth Memorial Tournament in Anapa in February, but he was not able to repeat his previous performance in Nanjing.

The 17-year-old Ukrainian athlete found the best fighting distance in Nanjing, and was able to frequently stop Nesterov’s attacks.

Gadzhyiev won all of the rounds 10:9, and claimed Ukraine’s only gold medal in the boxing tournament of the Nanjing Youth Olympic Games.

Men’s Light Heavyweight class (81 kg):
Bulgaria’s Blagoy Naydenov and Kazakhstan’ Vadim Kazakov boxed for the gold medal in the AIBA Youth World Championships in Sofia, and both athletes were able to advance to the final once again.

Naydenov won the first two rounds in Nanjing, and despite an incredible final round from Kazakov, it was the Bulgarian who claimed the gold medal in a very entertaining contest.

Men’s Heavyweight class (91 kg):
The rematch of the final of the AIBA Youth World Championships between Cuba’s Yordan Hernandez and Croatia’s Toni Filipi was the closest final on the fifth competition day in the Nanjing.

Filipi, the European Heavyweight class (91 kg) boxer won a strong Serbian youth tournament last month, and he started the final the better here, by controlling the first part of the bout against the Cuban star.

Hernandez shook off the first round however, and his power advantage was displayed from the second round onwards, as he exploited the tiny holes in Filipi’s defense.

The final verdict was a split decision in the favour of Hernandez, but both boxers deserve a lot of credit for an entertaining bout.

Men’s Super Heavyweight class (+91 kg):
Germany’s Peter Kadiru lost to his US rival, Darmani Rock in the final of the AIBA Youth World Championships in Sofia, where their close bout was a spectacular one.

The 17-year-old German boxer became involved in their national squad last year, and following some silver medals at international level, he won his last preparation competition, the Klichko Brothers Youth Tournament in Berdichev prior the Games.

Kadiru continued his winning path, and finally defeated Rock in the final in Nanjing, using his weight advantage very well.

Stat/Fact of the day
Ten new champions have been crowned in the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games from nine different nations, with only the Cuban delegation able to win two gold medals in the Games.

Five of the men’s gold medallists were born in 1997, so this is their first year in the youth age group.

Youth Olympics in 2018
The third and next edition of the Youth Olympic Games will be held in Buenos Aires, Argentina between 11-23 September in 2018.

Boxers born in 2000 and in 2001 will be eligible to compete in the Games.

List of the male medallists in Nanjing

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