The Kazakhstani Olympic boxing team at London 2012 is one of the largest in the field. With nine boxers eligible to compete, out of 10 weight classes, they will be tied with the USA boxing team as the second largest squad at the games.
They are coming off a strong run at the Asian Olympic qualifying event, as well as the 2011 World Championships, where they brought home several medals. Here’s a look at the entire Kazakhstani boxing team as we get ready for summer Olympics boxing at London 2012.
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Birzhan Zhakipov – Light Flyweight: Birzhan will be 28 come Olympic time, and he has a broad range of international experience. That includes the high of winning gold at the Asian Olympic qualifying event, and the lows of losing in the first round at the 2011 Worlds to Yosvany Veita Soto of the Cuban Olympic boxing team.- Ilyas Suleimenov – Flyweight: Suleimenov also took home a gold at the Asian qualifier, going 4 for 4 in his fights at that tournament. He previously was a runner-up at an Asian boxing championship in 2011. Ranked 17th in the world, there’s guys like Misha Aloyan of the Russian Olympic boxing team that will likely offer too steep a challenge for him to get past.
- Kanat Abutalipov – Bantamweight: File this in the surprise entry category. Abutalipov, who is 29 years old, won an individual championship in the World Series of Boxing, earning his berth to the Olympics, despite less than stellar runs internationally since 2008, when he fought at the Beijing games and lost in the first round.
- Gani Zhailauov – Lightweight: Zhailauov had an impressive run in a very deep pool of Lightweight contenders at the 2011 Worlds. He made it to the semi-finals before losing to Cuba’s Yasniel Toledo. He’ll be hard pressed to medal, though, with Vasyl Lomachenko of the Ukrainian Olympic boxing team and Domenico Valentino of the Italian Olympic boxing team also in the field.
- Daniyar Yeleussinov – Light Welterweight: The 21 year old Light Welterweight took home a silver at the Asian qualifying event, stamping his ticket to the Olympics. Previously, in 2010, he won an Asian boxing tournament, and earned silver at the 2008 youth world championships.
- Serik Sapiyev – Welterweight: Serik Sapiyev is one of the best amateur welterweights across the world. He took home a silver at the 2011 Worlds, losing in a competitive contest to Taras Shelestyuk of the Ukraine. In the 2009 Worlds, he defeated Shelestyuk, which shows he has what it takes to get a win against the guy. It could make for a very intriguing rubber match with an Olympic gold at the line in London.
- Danabek Suzhanov – Middleweight: Suzhanov won three fights at the 2011 Worlds before being ousted in a closely scored contest. Like several of his Kazakhstani teammates, he’s looking up at a tough challenge from a Ukrainian world champion, in this case, Ievgen Khytrov, the world’s number 1.
- Adilbek Niyazymbetov – Light Heavyweight: One of the highest ranked of his Kazakhstan Olympic boxing teammates, Niyazymbetov currently sits at number 6 according to the AIBA. He took some a silver at the 2011 Worlds, losing but fighting gamely against Cuba’s hot shot Julio Cesar La Cruz after taking out Meng Fanglong of the Chinese Olympic boxing team. The two could end up in the gold medal fight against one another, but there are numerous other tough challengers lurking as well.
- Ivan Dychko – Super Heavyweight: Dychko will be 22 right around tournament time, and to celebrate, he’ll get a chance to compete for an Olympic medal. He won a bronze at the 2011 Worlds, losing in the semifinals to eventual champion Magomed Majidov, making him a legitimate medal threat at London.
