IBA World Junior Championships. Russia stays perfect, Armenia has one loss © IBA

The second competitive day of the 2023 IBA World Junior Championships in Yerevan has ended, and for the host country Armenia, it went almost as well as yesterday.

But the joy for the home crowd was spoiled at the end of the day, when 80 kg boxer Hayk Ghahramanyan lost his third place fight to South Korea’s Park Damhyeon with split decision. The other three boxers from Armenia advanced to the next round. Arno Darchinyan (46 kg) and Andranik Martirosyan (60 kg) won their bouts with great confidence, and Vahagn Galstyan (54 kg) defeated Belorussian Aliaksi Kazuseu with split decision.

Though the defeat of Kazuseu, it was not a bad day at all for the Belarussian boxers. Four others of their representatives claimed their spot in the next round. Siarhei Zayats (46 kg) was stronger than Mohamed Al Mandouchi from Germany, Uladzislau Kaurau (60 kg) defeated Ashkan Hashemi from Iran, Ivan Siniak (66 kg) stopped Indian boxer Prashant and Andrei Rumiantsau (80 kg) outboxed Alexander Popal from Germany.

Russia had three boxers in the second competitive day, and all of them advanced to the next round. Islam Magomedov (46 kg), Roman Bogdanov (60 kg) and Bairakhman Ashurov (80 kg) won their bouts with unanimous decisions.

Uzbekistan also had 4 boxers on the second day, and only Muhammadrizo Siddikov lost his bout to Russia’s Ashurov. The other three athletes Abdurakhmon Makhmudjonov (46 kg), Furizjon Sadullaev (60 kg) and Akbar Ahmadov (66 kg) won their first bouts in the tournament.

On the other hand, it was a day full of bitterness for another Asian country - Kazakhstan. All of their four representatives lost their bouts. Aidos Ussenov (46 kg) lost to Dzhakhingir Kamilov from Tajikistan, Bekaris Nurmukhan (66 kg) was outboxed by Ahmadov from Uzbekistan. Zhassulan Berdaly (70 kg) exited from yhe tournament after being defeated by Pawel Urbanski from Poland, and Bakytzhan Aiytmukhanov lost to Taipei's Guan-Hao Pan in a narrow battle.

On the third day the stage will be prepared for the women’s tournament.  The 1/8 finals of women’s 46, 48, 50, 52, 54, 57 and 60 kg weight categories will take place at the Mika sport complex in Yerevan on November 26.