5th WUC Boxing: Day Three of competitions

BAKU – This third day of competitions marked the beginning of the semi-finals in the lighter weight categories.

The day started with the 49kg category, and a fight between local boxer Salman Alizada (AZE) facing Mogamed Ibiyev (RUS). In the first round, Alizada took the lead after a spectacular show, 6-3 and increased it in the second period with a clear advantage 5-2 to conclude on a convincing final victory 15-7. Ibiyev takes the bronze, while Alizada will fight for gold on Sunday.

In the second semi-final of the 49kg category, Olijas Bainiazov (KAZ) faced Ferhat Pehlivan (TUR) for a place in the final. In the first round, Pehlivan took the advantage 5-3 which he kept on building taking the second round 4-2 and the third round on the same score for a final result of 14-7. The final for gold will thus oppose Pehlivan to Alizada while Bainiazov grabs the bronze.

The first semi-final of the 56kg category opposed Turkey’s Abdullah Tursun to Azerbaijan’s Javid Chalabiyev. After a very tight first round taken by the local boxer 4-3, the second was more open but was taken again by Chalabiyev on the score of 5-3. The final score confirmed the two first rounds with a clear overall win 13-9.

In the second semi-final between Mahir Pashayev (RUS) and Oleg Prudkiy (UKR) despite a first round ended on a tight score of 3-3, the Russian had a clear advantage with Prudkiy being counted 8 a first time in the first round and a second time early in the second round. The fight was finally ended on a referee decision to protect the Ukrainian boxer before the end of the second round.

The final for gold will thus oppose Chalabiyev (AZE) to Pashayev (RUS) while Prudkiy and Tursun take the bronze medals.

In the first semi-final of the 64kg, Dmitriy Galagot (MDA) faced Ruslan Urikh (RUS). After a first round well mastered by the Russian boxer 6-3, the moldovan boxer managed to limit the gap with a second round ended on the score of 3-3. The victory finally went to Urikh after a 4-4 score in the last round.

The second semi-final in this category saw the host boxer Heybatulla Hajialiyev (AZE) fight against Turkey’s Ural Karslioglu (TUR). In a much more tactical bout with little punches exchanged, Hajialiyev appeared more precise winning the first round 2-0, the second 3-1 for a final win 11-3.

The final in the 64kg will oppose Sunday Urikh (RUS) to Hajialiyev (AZE) while Galagot (MDA) and Karslioglu (TUR) take the bronze medals of the category.

In the 75kg category, the first semi-final opposed Taras Makarov (UKR) to the Azeri boxer Emil Ahmadov. The first round was clearly taken by Ahmadov 6-2 while the very spectacular second round came to him on the score of 6-5 while Makarov took the last round on an impressive 7-3, not enough to earn a spot in the final Ahmadov winning the bout 15-14 despite having been counted 8 in the second round.

The last fight of the day opposed Abzal Kuttibekov (KAZ) to Amir Suleymanov (RUS) in the second semi-final of the 75kg category. The bout started in a slow rhythm with a score of 2-1 in favor of the Russian pugilist in the first round. He took a much clearer lead in the second round which he won 4-1. The Russian boxer cleared his way to the final with a final score of 8-4.

Sunday, Ahmadov will face Suleymanov for the first place in the 75kg category. Kuttibekov and Makarov take the bronze medals.

(Source: Julien Buhajezuk, WUC Executive Assistant)