By Alexey Sukachev
The results of the 2011 Baku amateur world championships are making millions of boxing fans shake their heads. The ongoing competition will long be remembered as one of the most controversial tournaments in the history of amateur boxing. Scandals and disappointments, mixed in with upsets and stunning victories, are the calling cards of this year's competition.
The most disgraceful situation took place at lightweight limit, where two gems of the unpaid ranks – Albert Selimov of Russia and Vasyl Lomachenko of Ukraine – were victims of poor officiating. Team Russia failed to defend their representative, while Ukrainian officials were a lot more successful.
After the derogatory handling of the planet’s finest amateur boxer, who many believe was robbed of a well-deserved victory over Brazilian Robson Conceincao (19:20), Team Ukraine filed a protest, which was also scandalously accepted by AIBA, and then the final result was overturned to allow Lomachenko to move on in a seemingly Roy Jones-like situation.
Though justice has finally been served, the mishandling of both the initial and the final victim of the fightt looks shamefully irritating. Amateur boxing strikes again? AIBA, who now tries to grab some media attention by announcing daydream fantasies about prizefighting, is clearly incapable to get their own machine working. In the mean time, Lomachenko advances to the medal round.
Upsets continued, as several clear-cut favorites failed to get medals. World-leading super heavyweight Roberto Cammarelle, two-time world and 2008 Beijing Olympic champion was unexpectedly defeated by British boxer Joshua. Russian heavy hitter Artur Beterbiyev, who rolled over his previous opponents with visible ease, was stunned by Ukrainian Olexander Usik. And #1 ranked bantamweight Detelin Dalakliev got his portion of disappointment at the hands of England’s Luke Campbell.
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Who’s the best in the mix?
Vasily Lomachenko, a virtuoso of the ring, looked ordinary by his standards in a give-and-take fight against Conceincao and struggled in the Ramirez fight. Even if he wins this tournament, his win will be marred with a scandal.
However, several more fighters, who were previously unknown before, made names for themselves right during the tournament. Brazilian Everton Lopez scored several stoppages on his way up and seems to be an unstoppable force. His victory over Hungarian star Gyula Kate was specifically telling. Ukrainian entertainer Denis Berinchyk didn’t put any accent on his defensive game and, contrary to that, chose to fight as a swormer. And rightfully, so as he thrilled the crowd with his all-action style.
Serik Sapiyev of Kazakhstan aims at his third career gold medal. And in the middleweight class, a new star was born in Japan. Ryota Murata walked through two-time world champion Abbos Attoyev and continues his ride until the semi-finals.
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Some trends are clearly seen by the overall teams. The Soviet school is still at its best and dominating the sport. 19 of 40 medals will go to former Soviet republics but the leader has changed. Russians aren’t as dominating as they were in the past. The new leader is Ukraine, who delegated five fighters to the medal round. No surprise with Team Kazakhstan going strong with four medals, while Russia will receive just three medals – thanks primarily to the Team’s lightest fighters David Ayrapetyan and Misha Aloyan. Team Cuba slowly goes down in class but still has three medals. Team USA didn’t surprise as well and has only holds a single fighter in semifinals – its captain Rau’Shee Warren.
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Quarterfinal results:
201+ pounds
Magomedrasul Madjidov (Azerbaijani) – Erislandy Savon (Cuba) – TKO 3
Ivan Dychko (Kazakhstan) – Filip Hrgovic (Croatia) – 20:16
Erik Pfeifer (Germany) – Victor Zuyev (Belarus) – 18:15
Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua (England) – Roberto Cammarelle (Italy) – 15:13
Semifinals: Joshua – Pfeifer, Dychko – Madjidov
201 pounds
Xuanxuan Wang (China) – Vasily Levit (Kazakhstan) – 11:9
Teymur Mammadov (Azerbaijani) – Jose Angel Larduet Gomez (Cuba) – 24:20
Sergey Korneev (Belarus) – Chouaib Bouloudinat (Algeria) – TKO 3
Olexander Usik (Ukraine) – Artur Beterbiyev (Russia) – 17:13
Semifinals: Usik – Korneev, Mammadov – Wang
180 pounds
Yegor Mekhontsev (Russia) – Olexander Gvozdik (Ukraine) – 27:21
Elshod Rasulov (Uzbekistan) – Ehsan Rouzbahani (Iran) – 15:7
Adilbek Niyazymbetov (Kazakhstan) – Fanlong Meng (China) – TKO 3
Julio De La Cruz Peraza (Cuba) – Damiel Hooper (Australia) – 14:13
Semifinals: Mekhontsev – Peraza, Rasulov – Niyazymbetov
165 pounds
Bogdan Juratoni (Romania) – Andranik Hakobyan (Armenia) – 21:17
Evgueny Khytrov (Ukraine) – Alexandar Drenovyak (Serbia) – 34:15
Esquiva Falcao Florentino (Brazil) – Danabek Suzhanov (Kazakhstan) – 13:10
Ryota Murata (Japan) – Darren O'Neil (Ireland) – 18:9
Semifinals: Murata – Florentino, Khytrov – Juratoni
152 pounds
Krishan Vikas (India) – Vasili Belous (Moldova) – 9:8
Taras Shelestyuk (Ukraine) – Andrey Zamkovoy (Russia) – 13+:13-
Egidijus Kavaliauskas (Lithuania) – Fred Evans (Wales) – KO 2
Serik Sapiev (Kazakhstan) – Errol Spence (USA) – 20:10
Semifinals: Sapiev – Kavaliauskas, Shelestyuk - Vikas
141 pounds
Vincenzo Mangiacapre (Italy) – Munkh Uranchimeg (Mongolia) – 16:11
Everton Lopez (Brazil) – Gyula Kate (Hungary) – TKO 3
Thomas Lee Stalker (England) – Manoj Kumar (India) – 24:18
Denis Berinchyk (Ukraine) – Hebatulla Hajialiyev (Azerbaijan) – 33:19
Semifinals: Berinchyk – Stalker, Magnicapre – Lopez
132 pounds
Gani Zhailauov (Kazakhstan) – Jai Bhagwan (India) – 11:10
Yasniel Toledo Lopez (Cuba) – Soon Chul Han (South Korea) – 17:13
Vasyl Lomachenko (Ukraine) – Fazliddin Gaibnazarov (Uzbekistan) – 18:10
Domenico Valentino (Italy) – Miklos Varga (Hungary) – 27:13
Semifinals: Zhailauov – Lopez, Lomachenko – Valentino
123 pounds
Lazaro Alvarez Estrada (Cuba) – Joseph Diaz (USA) – 19:10
Anvar Yunusov (Tajikistan) – Sergey Vodopianov (Russia) – 19:9
John Nevin (Ireland) – Orzubek Shayimov (Uzbekistan) – 19:17
Luke Campbell (England) – Detelin Dalakliev (Bulgaria) – 12:8
Semifinals: Campbell – Nevin, Estrada – Yunusov
114 pounds
Andrew Selby (Wales) – Michael Conlan (Ireland) – 25:24
Jasurbek Latipov (Uzbekistan) – Vincenzo Picardi (Italy) – 18:11
Rau’Shee Warren (USA) – Khaleed Saeed Yafai (England) – 14:9
Misha Aloyan (Russia) – Elvin Mamishzade (Azerbaijan) – 14:12
Semifinals: Aloyan – Warren, Latipov – Selby
108 pounds
Jong Hoon Shin (South Korea) – Devendro Singh Laishram (India) – 28:15
Serdamba Purevdorj (Mongolia) – Yosvani Veita Soto (Cuba) – TKO 1
David Ayrapetyan (Russia) – Jose Kelvin De La Nieve Linares (Spain) – 15:8
Zou Shiming (China) – Kaew Pongprayoon (Thailand) – 14:8
Semifinals: Shiming – Ayrapetyan, Purevdorj - Shin
