Four young boxers from Turkmenistan have reached the quarterfinals of the Asian Junior, Schoolboy and Schoolgirl Boxing Championships held in Al Ain, UAE. The tournament brought together 462 athletes from 26 countries competing in 13 junior weight categories and 15 schoolboy and schoolgirl weight categories.
According to the publication “Turkmenistan: Golden Age”, the Turkmen team is represented by 10 boxers under the guidance of coaches Sapardurdy Bagyev and Myrat Pazzyev. Begench Kakamyradov (up to 50 kg), Abdyrahman Rejepov (up to 63 kg) and Sapargeldy Nuryagdyev (up to 70 kg) made it to the quarterfinals. Kakamyradov won a tense fight against Siwa Chainarong from Thailand, winning by split decision 3:2. The press service of the Asian Boxing Confederation noted that Kakamyradov, who moved up two weight classes this year, was considered one of the favorites in the flyweight category up to 50 kg.
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Sapargeldy Nuryagdyev also had a brilliant fight in the 1/8 finals, winning in the third round due to a clear advantage over Nahyan Al-Ghafri from the UAE. The press service of the Asian Boxing Confederation commented on his performance, noting that Nuryagdyev «seemed to dance all over the ring and enjoyed every moment of this fight.»
In the next round, Kakamyradov will face Fan-Rui Shao from Taiwan, Nuryagdyev – Usman Kaparov from Kyrgyzstan, and Redzhepov – Iranian boxer Ashkan Hashemi. The winners of the quarterfinals will ensure themselves at least a bronze medal.
Unfortunately, the fourth Turkmen boxer, Ezbermuhammet Myratdurdyev, failed to advance further. In the schoolboys' competition in the 58 kg weight category, he lost to Akbardzhon Abdullayev from Tajikistan by a split decision of the judges 2:3.
During the championship in Al Ain, an extraordinary congress of the Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC) was also held, in which the Secretary General of the Boxing Federation of Turkmenistan, Durdymammet Kuljayev, took part.
The issue of ASBC's transition under the auspices of World Boxing was discussed at the congress, but the majority of delegates voted to maintain membership in the International Boxing Association (IBA).
