By Alexey Sukachev

The Baku World Amateur Championships have already caught the attention of the worldwide media thanks to its streak of upsets and minor sensations. The biggest upset, however, happened on Tuesday, when Vasyl Lomachenko, arguably the best amateur fighter on the planet, unexpectedly lost a razor-thin 19-20 decision to unheralded Brazilian Robson Conceicaio in what was an eliminator for the automatic qualification to the 2012 London Summer Olympics.

Lightweight Lomachenko is widely regarded as the smoothest operator in the unpaid ranks. The 23-year old Ukrainian superstar won a gold medal at 2008 Beijing Olympics by literally going through all of his opponents and repeated the trick a year during the 2009 Milano world championships. However, he was set for disaster in this particular tournament. Yesterday Lomachenko struggled to a degree against American Jose Ramirez and looked mediocre (by his own standards) despite quite a comfortable win (16-9) and a knockdown, scored in the first round.

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Meanwhile, Team Russia kicked off to a mediocre start as well, losing four out of ten participants in the preliminary rounds of the tournament.

Lightweight Albert Selimov suffered a controversial DQ against Venezuelan Hector Manzanilla. Selimov, a bitter rival of Lomachenko, who took an early lead 7:3 before being disqualified for what seemed to be a legal blow to the body. Referee, however, ruled this punch was below the belt while Manzanilla fell down in pain.

European super heavyweight champion Sergey Kuzmin disappointed his fans by losing in the first round (9:12), while Artem Chebotarev lost a razor thin decision to British Anthony Agog – 11:12. Junior welterweight favorite Thomas Lee Stalker (also of England) left no chances to Alexander Solyanikov (9:17).

Junior flyweight David Ayrapetyan, flyweight Misha Aloyan, bantamweight Sergey Vodopyanov, welterweight Andrey Zamkovoy, light heavyweight Yegor Mekhontsev and heavyweight Artur Beterbiev are still in the mix. The latter looked particularly unstoppable, getting two first-round stoppages in the first two fights.

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Selected results from the first week of the tourney:

Results of this week will be published later.

201+ pounds
Zhang Zholey (China) – Joseph Parker (New Zealand) – 15:7
Filip Hrgovic (Croatia) – Mikhail Bakhtidze (Georgia) – TKO 2
Lenroy Thompson (USA) – Alexey Mukhin (Australia) - 18:9
Unathi Mohammed Arjaoui (Morocco) – Sergey Kuzmin (Russia) – 12:9
201 pounds
Joseph Williams (USA) – Sandro Dirnfeld (Slovenia) – 13:9
Alexander Povernov (Germany) – Gunnar Kristinsson (Iceland) – 17:4

180 pounds
Olexander Gvozdyk (Ukraine) – Jovan Young (Jamaica) – TKO 1
Marcus Browne (USA) – Yoshitsuna Okada (Japan) – TKO 1
Yamaguchi Florentino (Brazil) – Carlos Gongora (Equador) – 25:19
Marcus Browne (USA) – Levan Guledani (Georgia) – 10:6
Olexander Gvozdyk (Ukraine) – Imre Szello (Hungary) – 25:11

165 pounds
Ryota Murata (Japan ) – Abbos Attoev (Uzbekistan) – TKO 3
Yuri Chebotarev (Russia) – Musa Ngozo (Swazilend) – TKO 2
Emil Correa Bayeux (Cuba) – Vijender Kumar (India) – 16:9

152 pounds
Serik Sapiev (Kazakhstan) – Nodirbek Kosimov (Uzbekistan) – 23:17
Alexis Vastine (France) – Edrisa Touray (Gambia) – 22:14
Carlos Banteur Suarez (Cuba) – Velibor Vidic (Bosnia) – 17:4
Fred Evans (Wales) – Ricky Murphy (New Zealand) – 21:6
Serik Sapiev (Kazakhstan) – Carlos Sanchez Estacio (Ecuador) – TKO 3
Errol Spence (USA) – Amin Ghasemipour (Iran) – 28:10
Serik Sapiev (Kazakhstan) – Apichet Seansit (Thailand) – TKO 2
Taras Shelestyuk (Ukraine) – Carlos Banteur Suarez (Cuba) – 17:15
Andrey Zamkovoy (Russia) – Byamba Tushinbat (Mongolia) – 14:8
Errol Spence (USA) – Carlos Custio (Canada) – 18:9

141 pounds
Denis Berinchuk (Ukraine) – Naziri Piraki (Iran) – TKO 3
Munkh-Erdene Uranchimeg (Mongolia) – Babou Smaila (Cameroon) – 20:10
Gyula Kate (Hungary) – Evgueny Romashkevich (Belarus) – 24:14
Quing Hu (China) – Jamel Herring (USA) – 20:5
Denis Berinchuk (Ukraine) – Rosniel Iglesias Sotolongo (Cuba) – 19+:19-
Zdenek Chladek (Czech Republic) – Hrachik Javakhian (Armenia) – 10:6
Thomas Stalker (England) – Brice Bassole (Burkina-Faso) – 13:2

132 pounds
Hector Manzanilla (Venezuela) – Albert Selimov (Russia) - DQ 2
Yasniel Toledo Lopez (Cuba) – Angel Gutierrez (Mexico) – 13:8
Vasyl Lomachenko (Ukraine) – Lomalito Moala (Tonga) – TKO 1
Jose Ramirez (USA) – Vladimir Sarukhanian (Armenia) – 22:12
Domenico Valentino (Italy) – Ayrin Akhmedov (Bulgaria) – 15:10

123 pounds
Akhil Kumar (India) – Filip Barak (Slovenia) – 16:8
Worapoj Petchkoom (Thailand) – Ayabonga Sonjica (RSA) – 16:7
Luke Campbell (England) – Rahim Najafov (Azerbaijan) – 17:7
Joseph Diaz (USA) – Kyaw Kyaw Latt (Vietnam) – TKO 2

114 pounds
Andrew Selby (Wales) – Hesham Yehia Abdelaal (Egypt) – 28:16
Vincenzo Picardi (Italy) – Yu Che Lin (Taipei) – 21:8
Georgiy Chigaev (Ukraine) – Andrew Moloney (Australia) – 19:10
Robeisy Ramirez Carrazana (Cuba) – Mumin Veli (Macedonia) – TKO 1
Rau’Shee Warren (USA) – Georgiy Chigaev (Ukraine) – 22:15
Misha Aloyan (Russia) – Oteng Oteng (Botswana) – 18:5

108 pounds
Eros Correa (USA) – Jason Olivier Laviglante (Mauritius) – 14:11
Zou Shiming (China) – Juan Gabriel Medina Herrad (Dominican Republic) – 17:9
Lukasz Maszczik (Poland) – Ahmed Fahad Al-Haifi (Saudi Arabia) – 23:6
Yosvani Veita Soto (Cuba) – Birzhan Zhakipov (Kazakhstan) – 21:11