Five Sri Lankan boxers stepped into the ring for today’s semifinals at the ASBC Asian U22 and Youth Championships, but only St. Sylvester’s standout Yazmin Usaith emerged victorious, earning a place in the middleweight (75kg) final.
The much-anticipated showdown between Sri Lanka’s gold medal hopeful Yazmin Mohommed Usaith and Kyrgyzstan’s Daniel Abdrakhmanov unfolded in front of an enthusiastic crowd at the Sugathadasa Indoor Stadium. The local boxer matched his opponent’s strength with energy and power, but it was Usaith’s superior footwork and flexibility that set him apart, showcasing why he’s one of the best defenders in the tournament. He landed precise cross punches, straight punches, and well-timed uppercuts to secure a unanimous decision from the judges, becoming Sri Lanka’s lone U22 finalist.
In the first bout of the day, Tajikistan’s Muinkhodzha Muminov launched a fierce opening attack, but Kazakhstan’s Suleimeni Tileuberdi countered effectively with agile footwork to advance to the final in the minimum weight (48kg) category.
In another semifinal, Army SC’s Akila Dasunpriya Samarakoon gave his all against Uzbekistan’s Bekhruz Kholdorov, firing on all cylinders in an attempt to topple one of the tournament’s stars. However, Kholdorov’s solid fundamentals helped him edge past the Sri Lankan.
- A tough day for Sri Lankan youth boxers
- Usaith was victorious and secured a medal for Sri Lanka
- Sri Lankan boxers punch through to Semi Finals
- Sri Lankan boxers bow out with three bronze medals
- Sri Lankan women boxers fight hard in the semis
Flyweight (51kg) contender Umayanga Mihiran, a bronze medalist at the ASBC Asian Elite Championships, faced Tajikistan’s talented Meroj Sufijonov. The first round saw an exciting toe-to-toe exchange with an even judges’ score. But Sufijonov took control in the second and third rounds with powerful punches and footwork, ending Sri Lanka’s hopes. In the other semifinal, Kazakhstan’s Dias Berikbay outclassed Nepal’s Arpil Rana after three full rounds.
In the bantamweight (54kg) semifinals, Sri Lanka’s Herath Mudiyanselage Ashen Karunanayake started strong against Pakistan’s Umar Raza Khan, drawing cheers from the home crowd. But Khan, a skilled southpaw, countered with precise jabs and used his long reach to dominate the remainder of the match. In the next bout, Kyrgyzstan’s Zafarbek Kamilov faced Tajikistan’s Anushervon Fozylov, who narrowly claimed victory in a thrilling and tense encounter.
In the men’s featherweight (57kg) category, Kazakhstan’s Zhasurbek Anorbayev controlled all three rounds to defeat Nepal’s Bir Limbu Singh, despite some resistance. Thailand’s Phanuwat Choojan-At displayed excellent footwork and accuracy to upset Kyrgyzstan’s Turgunbek Imankadyrov.
Another of Sri Lanka’s gold medal dreams ended as Kazakhstan’s Nurislam Kaldybayev knocked out Deshan Jayasundara in the men’s lightweight (60kg) semifinals. Meanwhile, Uzbekistan’s Shokhrukh Abdumalikov and Tajikistan’s Damir Muybalikhonov engaged in a fierce battle, with Muybalikhonov securing the win.
At light welterweight (63.5kg), Saudi Arabia’s Mousa Alhawsaw fought valiantly but was ultimately bested by Kazakhstan’s Seraly Zholmaganbet in a closely contested bout. Zholmaganbet now advances to face Kyrgyzstan’s Asian Youth silver medalist, who dominated Tajikistan’s Ruslan Gafurov.
In the welterweight (67kg) semifinals, Kyrgyzstan’s ASBC Asian Youth Champion Almaz Orozbekov asserted his dominance over Australia’s Jake Van Rooyen, prompting the referee to halt the contest before the final bell. Kazakhstan’s Bakhtiyar Anarbayev followed with a hard-earned victory over Saudi Arabia’s Esmail Alqassimi, securing his place in the final.
Kyrgyzstan’s Eldar Turdubayev displayed power and energy in the light middleweight (71kg) semifinals, outclassing Tajikistan’s Murodjon Ashuraliyev. In the other semifinal, Kazakhstan’s Agazhan Kadyr advanced with a technical knockout over Kuwait’s Almutairi Abdul Rahman, while Kazakhstan’s Aman Konsbekov delivered a knockout to Vietnam’s Pham Dang Luu.
The final bout of the day saw Vietnam’s Ha Duy Cuong go up against Kyrgyzstan’s Satybaldy Uuulu Sagyn, who landed a series of heavy punches to hand Vietnam another defeat.
The finals are set for today (22nd May) and tomorrow. Kazakhstan continues to dominate the tournament, boasting 47 finalists. They are followed by Kyrgyzstan (13), India (11), Tajikistan (9), and host nation Sri Lanka (5). Other finalists include athletes from Afghanistan (3), Mongolia (2), Thailand (2), Pakistan (1), Saudi Arabia (1), and Uzbekistan (1).
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