The Duisenkul Shopokov Memorial Tournament was held in the Kyrgyzstan capital city of Bishkek between 3-7 February, with home-nation boxers dominating what was the first big Asian AIBA Open Boxing event of 2016. Among the winners delighting the crowds were experienced WSB campaigner and Asian Confederation Flyweight Champion Azat Usenaliev and his fellow Ukraine Otamans team member, bantamweight Omurbek Malabekov.

The 24 year-old Usenaliev won his fourth career title at the event, but had to negotiate a difficult final against Algeria’s exceptional AIBA World Boxing Championship silver medalist Mohamed Flissi.

“The Duisenkul Shopokov Memorial Tournament is a very important competition in Kyrgyzstan and I trained hard to get the win infront of my family in Bishkek. I am looking to put in a best-ever performance at the AIBA Asian & Oceania Olympic Qualifiers in six weeks’ time, but this gold medal was the perfect start and a real confidence boost for my pursuit of gold in Qianan”, said Kyrgyzstan’s legendary Azat Usenaliev.

A mainstay of the national team since 2009, Ermek Sakenov used all his experience to land the light welterweight gold, and another of the hosts’ top stars Sergei Parenko took heavyweight gold against Russia’s Youth National Champion Islam Tekeyev.

“It is amazing to win the gold medal at the Duisenkul Shopokov Memorial Tournament after a bad year. I attacked from the opening seconds until the final bell and pressurised my opponents, and had great advice from my coach Adylkan Bekbolotov. My Russian opponent in the final was very strong but I was quicker and I think I deserved this gold medal. Now I am ready for the AIBA Asian & Oceania Olympic Qualifiers in Qianan,” said Kyrgyzstan’s Sergei Parenko.

Full list of winners at the Duisenkul Shopokov Memorial Tournament

 49 kg: Turat Osmonov, Kyrgyzstan

 52 kg: Azat Usenaliev, Kyrgyzstan

 56 kg: Omurbek Malabekov, Kyrgyzstan

 60 kg: Konstantin Bogomazov, Russia

 64 kg: Ermek Sakenov, Kyrgyzstan

 69 kg: Islam Dumanov, Russia

 75 kg: Israil Madrimov, Uzbekistan

 81 kg: Abzal Kuttybekov, Kazakhstan

 91 kg: Sergei Parenko, Kyrgyzstan

 +91 kg: Artem Suslenkov, Russia

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