The last day of the preliminaries was held in the 8th competition day at the AIBA World Boxing Championships in Belgrade. Impressive bouts between several top boxers were held in the Serbian capital. Germany’s Kevin Schumann, Kazakhstan’s Ablaikhan Zhussupov and United States’ 19-year-old Jahmal Harvey all won their contests with perfect performance.

France’s Samuel Kistohurry dominated the opening contest

France’s Samuel Kistohurry joined international events at the age of 15 and following his intense training, he won 90% of his contests in recent three years. He met with a member of the Fair Chance Team, Abdule-Fawaz Aborode who had only 20 contests before the AIBA World Boxing Championships but the 19-year-old is a very talented boxer. The French featherweight (57kg) athlete dictated the tempo but Aborode also had the strong physical skills to adopt that rhythm. Kistohurry was more confident in the second round, his responses came with perfect timing to Aborode’s attacks. The French boxer was patient in their contest and won it by a unanimous decision which means he advanced to the quarter-final for the very first time.

“I competed here in Serbia in 2010 and the comeback is excellent, I have serious plans for this event. I knew that this contest will be relatively easier for me today and I calmed down myself to save energy for the quarter-final. I have the respect to my 19-year-old opponent, he is a talent but he still needs a lot to do and work hard.”

Samuel Kistohurry (FRA)

Kazakhstan’s Serik Temirzhanov managed his hard tactical issue

The debutant of the tournament, Serik Temirzhanov from Kazakhstan impressed in the previous two bouts at the AIBA World Boxing Championships and proved he is one of the strongest boxers in his national team. The Pavlodar-based boxer faced a new Indian sensation, 20-year-old Rohit Mor who also won two contests in Belgrade. Temirzhanov received strong support from his coaches Kairat Satzhanov and Azamat Makazhanov and their strategy worked well from the first seconds. The taller Indian was not able to move away from Temirzhanov’s attacks in the first and second rounds, therefore, the Kazakh advanced to the quarter-finals.

“My Indian opponent was taller than me, and I tried to work from closer distance today. I believe this was better performance in Belgrade but this is not my 100% yet. I did well today in the first and second rounds.”

Serik Temirzhanov (KAZ)

Jahmal Harvey from the USA won the battle of the southpaw boxers

United States’ Jahmal Harvey survived a dangerous moment at the AIBA World Boxing Championships still in the round of 64 but since then he has been shining in Belgrade. The 19-year-old US talent met with Brazil’s youngster Luiz Gabriel Oliveira Do Nascimento Chalot in the round of 16 in the featherweight (57kg). The US athlete was smaller but he used an aggressive tactic in the first round and took the lead on the scorecards against such a dangerous rival as the Brazilian. Oliveira was not enough confident today and he could not respond well to his rival’s attacks. Harvey won the fight of the southpaw boxers because of hard work and smart boxing in the third round.

“I have good experience, won tournament in Bulgaria but the elite level is different. I worked a lot to be in good shape in this Championships. I am more confident round by round. My opponents are stronger and stronger as we go closer to the medal bouts.“

Jahmal Harvey (USA)

Japan’s Sewon Okazawa eliminated a favorite rival

Japan’s ASBC Asian Boxing Championships silver medallist Sewon Okazawa is their strong hope in the welterweight (67kg). He met with Uzbekistan’s Asadkhuja Muydinkhujaev who competed in all levels of junior and youth boxing in recent years. The 20-year-old Uzbek landed an outstanding jab in the second minute, however, the speedy Japanese boxer was better in the first round. Okazawa moved a lot on his feet to avoid the Uzbek punches and he proved his best performance of the year just in this contest keeping the best distance. Muydinkhujaev was not enough active in the attacks and Okazawa impressed in their world-class ‘chess game’ making a strong lead after six minutes. The Japanese boxer won their contest by unanimous decision and bowed out a medal contender in Belgrade.

“I had the most difficult opponent in my third contest but I have done my best performance today. I can do better and better in each round so I am expecting I will be stronger in the quarter-finals. My Uzbek rival is a young talent and a very strong boxer, therefore, everything depended today on my feet.”

Sewon Okazawa (JPN)

Kazakhstan’s Ablaikhan Zhussupov is in the quarter-finals for the third time

Kazakhstan’s Ablaikhan Zhussupov achieved bronze medals at the Hamburg 2017 and Ekaterinburg 2019 AIBA World Boxing Championships, he came with strong expectations to win a gold this time. The 24-year-old boxer moved down to the new welterweight category (67kg) but he has all of his skills and experience to beat any of the top rivals in Belgrade. The Kazakh boxer gained control in the first round against Poland’s Damian Durkacz and worked a lot on his feet to find the best angles. Zhussupov was too experienced for the Polish boxer and advanced to his third quarter-final at the AIBA World Boxing Championships.

“It was a good performance today, I started strongly in the first round to take the lead but I can do even better. I am focused on my next contest,  the quarter-final which is my key bout at this World Championships,”

Ablaikhan Zhussupov (KAZ)

Germany’s Kevin Schumann defeated a strong Iranian

Germany’s middleweight (75kg) No.1, Kevin Schumann developed rapidly since he has started his work with coach Michael Timm in Schwerin. He did a real breakthrough this year when he claimed a gold medal at the Cologne Boxing World Cup and silver at the EUBC U22 European Boxing Championships. The German boxer was confident in the first round against Iran’s ASBC Asian Boxing Championships bronze medallist Seyedshahin Mousavi. Schumann calmed down, he did not move ahead too much and his tactical efforts delivered for him a place in the quarter-finals.

“My coach Michael Timm worked a lot on tactics before this contest, he is amazing in small things which are always important in a bout. The Iranian is a boxer with excellent technical skills, his hands are almost always down and I have the full respect for him. He waited for my attacks and planned to counter-attack me but I was patient and our smart tactic worked well.”

Kevin Schumann (GER)

Share on Facebook

Tweet