After the preliminaries and the quarter-finals of the FISU University World Championships in Yakutsk, Russia, a high number of Russian, Kazakh, Uzbek and French boxers advanced to the semi-finals in the men’s part of the competition, while the finals of the women’s weight classes were also revealed

Bout of the quarter-finals
Kazakhstan’s ASBC Asian Youth Continental Champion Tursynbay Kulakhmet moved up to the Light Heavyweight class (81 kg) this year and his skills and tactical nous have improved immeasurably in recent time.

He won the Agong Cup in Alor Setar, Malaysia in March, and claimed a valuable silver medal at the China Open Tournament in Guiyang two months ago.

The 20-year-old had a hectic battle in the quarter-final in Yakutsk where he defeated Uzbekistan’s Otabek Ibragimov who won the Sidney Jackson Memorial Tournament in Tashkent in May.

Kulakhmet won the final verdict of their bout 2:0, after one judge scored the same points to both sides which showcased the closeness of their battle.

Team of the quarter-finals
Five French boxers advanced to the semi-finals of the men’s part of the FISU University World Championships in Yakutsk.

Souleymane Cissokho travelled to the Russian city as a gold medal contender, and the 23-year-old Welterweight class (69 kg) boxer defeated Kazakhstan’s teenager Abai Tolesh becoming the first French athlete in the semi-finals.

Marcus Gevia has moved up to the Flyweight class (52 kg) and caused a small surprise in Yakutsk where he was too technical for Russia’s Emir-Asan Nebiyev.

The biggest surprise for the French delegation was delivered by National Championships bronze medallist Maxime Devignaud who eliminated Mongolia’s great prospect, ASBC Asian Continental Championships bronze medallist Javkhlan Bariadi by unanimous decision.

After EUBC European Continental Championships bronze medallist Abdel Malik Ladjali defeated Tajikistan’s Akbar Safarov, the fifth guaranteed medal for France was achieved by Suliman Abdourachidov who controlled all of the rounds against Hungary’s EUBC European Youth Continental Championships silver medallist Adam Hamori.

Surprises of the quarter-finals
Russia’s Grigoriy Nikolaychuk only moved up to the Lightweight class (60 kg) months ago, but he is adapting to his new weight category very well already.

The 23-year-old Russian boxer was able to control his bout against Hungary’s two-time Olympian and five-time AIBA World Championships competitor Miklos Varga from the outset, and comfortably defeated his experienced rival who has been a member of his national elite team since 2005.

Uzbekistan’s Ulugbek Hakberdiyev claimed a bronze medal at their National Championships in December, and won the Sidney Jackson Memorial Tournament in Tashkent in what was one of the biggest surprises of that Asian event.

Hakberdiyev then received the right to fight for Uzbekistan for the very first time out of his country, and is continuing to surprise in Russia, opening with a great performance against Hungary’s London 2012 Olympic Games quarter-finalist Zoltan Harcsa who became injured in the final frame of their top level bout.

One to watch
Russia’s Sayana Sagatayeva trains in the East Siberian region of her country, and became known earlier this year when she claimed a gold medal at their National Selection Tournament.

The 24-year-old Flyweight class (51 kg) boxer secured a silver medal at the EUBC European Women’s Continental Championships in Bucharest three months ago, and performed well against Mongolia’s ASBC Asian Women’s Continental Champion Bolortuul Tumurkhuyag in the semi-final of this event, advancing to the gold medal bout where her next opponent will be Bak Cho Rong of Korea.

Fact of the quarter-finals
Besides Russia, the host nation of the FISU University World Championships, France, Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have also provided top quality boxing in the event.

All of the Hungarian and Serbian boxers lost their contests in the quarter-finals which means they will travel back home without any medals.

Tomorrow’s program
The first part of the semi-finals in the men’s part of the FISU University World Championships take place.

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