5th World University Boxing Championship: Opening Ceremony and 1st Day of Competitions

BAKU – The 5th World University Boxing Championship is the first ever FISU event organized by the Azerbaijan students sports association and will take place from November 13^th to 18th, 2012.

After the withdrawal of the city of Colorado Springs, the city of Baku decided to take over the event, in a country where boxing can be understood as part of the local culture. This was clearly shown by the high number of spectators attending the opening ceremony this Tuesday, November 13^th, prior to the first set of bouts held in the Baku sports palace.

After Mr. Ismail Ismailov, deputy minister of youth and sports of Azerbaijan declared the championship open, the competition could start.

On the first fight of the day, Turkey’s Ferhat Pehlivan dominated Denis Kozaruk (UKR) in the 46-49kg category winning all three rounds, to conclude with a score of 12-5.

On the second fight, in the category of the 56kg, Mahir Pashayev (RUS) defeated the only representative of Tajikistan Oraz Avzalshoev, here again winning all rounds with a final score of 16-10. In the same category, Oleg Prudkiy (UKR) and Samad Yusinbay (KAZ) had a tight fight in the beginning, the Ukrainian taking the two first rounds 5-3, but finished on an impressive 9-3 ending on a score of 19-9.

In the 64kg category, Ruslan Urikh (RUS) dominated Bekbola Kukamisov (KAZ) (3-2/5-4/6-6) with a clear technical advantage and a strong tactical sense for the Russian, which still had to be careful to the return of the Kazakh in the last round.

In the same category, the first boxer of the host country, Heybat Hajialiyev (AZE) was opposed to Maxim Konyshev (UKR) in one of the highlights of the night the host boxer made his way to the next round of the competition with a clear win 16-10, winning all rounds.

In the 64kg category, still, Turkey’s Ural Karslioglu faced Ve Tsiskarishvili (GEO) for a place in the next round. Kaslioglu took a clear lead since the first round (5-1), which he continuously increased (4-1 in the second round) to conclude on a 14-4 final score offering him a spot in the next round.

In the last bout of the day, in the 75kg category, Erol Ozkal (TUR) met Abzal Kuttibekov (KAZ) for a place in the next round of the competition. After a tight first round (3-3), the Kazakh boxer took the lead thanks to a 3-2 win in the second round keeping the bout very open for a final victory of the Kazakh boxer after a tied score 9-9 but on decision of judges.

(Source: Julien Buhajezuk, WUC Executive Assistant)