AIBA world cup

[mike222]

The revamped world cup starts on December 10 and here are my views.

48KG

Birzhan Zhakipov is the favourite and should win,although I expect a strong showing from the cuban Hernandez and the Mongolian Serdama.

51KG

Andy Laffita will be fancied but I suspect he might be pipped by Anvar Yunosov-interesting entry is former Junior champ Misha Aloyan who with home advantage in Moscow could surprise.


54kg

World Champion Vodopyanov should stroll this and gain a measure of consolation for his shock Olympic exit-Yankiel Leon should win Silver.


57kg

Olympic Champion Vasyl Lomachenko looks a surefired winner-candidates for silver are the cuban Torriente and the good Brazilian Santos Reyes.

60kg

World featherweight champion Albert Selimov moves up a weight and should be too strong for these.French Olympic silver medallist Daouda Saw and chinese Hu Qing are contenders


64kg


This looks wide open and it would be nice if Alexis Vastine could win to partly make up for that Olympic robbery.Rosniel Iglesias,Romal Amanov and the Iranian Sepahvandi are the major oppisition.


69kg

Olympic medallist Carlos Banteur must be favourite butb consistent korean Jung Joo Kim is a real danger.


75kg
Former junior champion Dmitri Chudinov will fancy his chances at home in Moscow but it should be between Alfonso Blanco and the Uzbeki Rasulov who had a great fight last year

81kg


This will be a treat with the best three lightheavyweights in the world and whoever wins the gold can call himself number one.


91kg

New european Lightheavyweight champion moves up to heavy and faces amongst others Cuban number one Osmay Acosta.Other contenders are Alizade and Pavlidis but they are longshots.

+91KGS

Robert Alfonso would be a hot favourite but he was beaten recently in a cuban tournament and may not be at his best which may let in Michael Hunter.

My Picks
48 Zhakipov
51 Aloyan
54 Vodopyanov
57 Lomachenko
60 Selimov
64 Iglesias
69 Banteur
75 Rasilov
81 Beterbiyev
91 Acosta
+91 Alfonso

[JMac]

Mike Hunter just lost to the Russian 14-7. I hope it was ring rust since he hasn't boxed since last spring.

[Dennis]

My guess is Mike just got beat by a better boxer on that particular day. Mike had been training with the U.S. Olympic team since his last bout. I'm not sure what he has been doing since August though.

[JOEY DAWEJKO]

i was just in camp with mike. he was looking sharp and fast, i wonder wat happened??

[Dennis]

Losing to a Russian boxer is typically not a disgrace. 14-7 sounds like it was competitive too. He has almost 4 years to get better, stronger and possibly bigger (maybe not height, but overall size - adding some muscle mass). I think Mike Hunter will progress just fine over the next few years.

[JMac]

i was just in camp with mike. he was looking sharp and fast, i wonder wat happened??

Boxing a Russian is Russia did't help.

[NYboxing]

Hunter actually was one of the bright spots when USA boxers went to Russia in February 2008, winning both his fights against Denis Sergeyev (23-13) and Shamil Gadzhiev (26-6).

[JMac]

Hunter actually was one of the bright spots when USA boxers went to Russia in February 2008, winning both his fights against Denis Sergeyev (23-13) and Shamil Gadzhiev (26-6).

I knew that and was hoping Mike would do well but when it gets to world championship type tournaments, you have to knock the crap out of the home country guy to win.

[mike222]

Winners

48kg Tanamor
51kg Aloyan
54kg Leon
57kg Torriente
60kg Selimov
64kg Iglesias
69kg Banteur
75kg Hakobyan
81kg Beterbiyev
91kg Acosta
+91kg Alfonso

Six golds for cuba and two surprise winners in Aloyan and Hakobyan of Armenia-Lomachenko didnt compete.