Belarus to partake in all but one event at 2013 AIBA World Boxing Championships

Nine boxers have been included in Belarus’ squad for the 2013 AIBA World Boxing Championships due in Kazakhstan’s Almaty, BelTA learnt from the Belarusian Boxing Federation.

Ten weight categories will be in action at the World Boxing Championships. Belarus will not take part only in one of them, in the under 49kg class. The Belarusian coaching staff has decided not to include any sportsman in the team as the major fighter in this category, Vadim Kirilenko, will be soon drafted into the Belarusian Armed Forces, which is why he was not preparing for the forthcoming tournament. Another under 49kg boxer Anton Nakhankov cannot currently be Vadim Kirilenko’s substitute as he lacks skills necessary to compete on such a high level.

Team Belarus will include the following boxers: Sergei Loban (52kg), Dmitry Sapon (56kg), Vazgen Safaryants (60kg), Yevgeny Dolgolevets (64kg), Pavel Kostromin (69kg), Vitaly Bondarenko (75kg), Sergei Novikov (81kg), Sergei Korneyev (91kg) and Yan Sudzilovsky (over 91kg).

In the under 52kg class Belarus could be represented by Alisher Mahmudov who has recently come from Uzbekistan. However, he is ineligible for the World Boxing Championships in Kazakhstan due to the so-called quarantine imposed on all boxers who switch the country which they represent. Leaders of the Belarusian team in the 56, 60, 69, 75, 81 и 91kg categories remained the same. These sportsmen represented Belarus at the 2013 European Boxing Championships hosted by Minsk. Back then, Vazgen Safaryants won silver there, while Pavel Kostromin and Sergei Novikov snatched bronze. The current Belarusian team lacks only one boxer from that squad, bronze medalist of the 2013 European Boxing Championships and silver medal winner of the 2004 Olympics Viktor Zuyev. He is sidelined with an injury (retinal detachment) which is why he has been substituted by Yan Sudzilovsky. This sportsman became medalist of the Universiade and several international tournaments. Bronze medal winner of the 2011 World Boxing Championships Sergei Korneyev, who failed to win a medal at the 2013 European Boxing Championships on home soil, is getting prepared for the World Championships individually.

Prior to the 2013 World Boxing Championships the Belarusian boxers will have a training camp in Kazakhstan’s city of Shymkent. The major task for the Belarusians will be to acclimatize in that country. They will also spar with local boxers as part of preparation for the forthcoming competition.

The 2013 World Boxing Championships will be held in Almaty from 14 to 26 October. According to preliminary data, 576 boxers from 116 countries will be in action. The bouts will be held in line with the new rules set down by the International Boxing Association. In particular the new regualtoins stipulate that the fighters be in the boxing ring without helmets. Another new feature will be the new 10-point must scoring system.

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