Astana Arlans: Kazakhstan conquers Russia

The Astana Arlans of Kazakhstan have proved that they will not tolerate a lose in their home ring by flattening the Russian Boxing Team 5:0 on February 1 in Almaty, Tengrinews reports. Young Arlan Mardan Berikbayev, 23 opened the night in the fight against Belik Galanov, 24 of the Russian Boxing Team in the light flyweight category (-49 kg). The Russian boxer showcased great speed and overwhelming confidence and was keeping a step ahead of the Arlan in the first round. Kazakhstan's Berikbayev concentrated on landing precise jabs rather than throwing punches randomly. Galanov started clinching Bekirbayev landing body punches. Berikbayev responded with more body punches. The Russian boxer got one warning in the first round. The first bout of the night was a fight of speed versus techniques. In the end, it was Berikbayev who’s technical boxing brought the Astana Wolves the first win of the night. The bout ended with the score of 47:47, 48:46, 47:47 and made the night's count 1:0. In the bantamweight category (-54 kg), the Head Coach Sergey Korchinsky replaced Astana Arlans veteran Meirbolat Toitov, 23 (4WP) with a WSB debutant Madi Shulakov, 29. Although Toitov may be more reliable in terms of his experience and young age, the coach decided to give Shulakov a chance. The Russians made a replacement as well: instead of more experienced Eduard Abzalimov, 29 they brought forth a debutant Nikita Fedorchenko, 20. Shulakov showed that his age rimes with experience when he outclasses Fedorchenko by a landslide in the first round. He connected several precise solid jabs on Fedorchenko. It seemed as if Shulakov saw through the Russian boxer and new exactly where his next punch was going to land. He had great footwork and a lot of pulling away from his opponent’s attacks. The hothead Russian, frustrated with the clear dominance of the Kazakh, headbutted him in the following round. Shulakov retained is stand and kept the blows coming throughout the first four rounds, but looked tired in the final round. Despite a slurred final round, Madi Shulakov beat Nikita Fedorchenko with a large score difference 50:43, 49:44, 50:43. Fedorchenko got 2 warnings during the bout. The debuting Arlan was celebrating his first glorious win in the WSB and brought one more winning point to his team. After the battle was over the viewers were asking themselves if Shulakov was truly a debutant. In the light welterweight category (-64), Askhat Ualikhanov, the number one in the individual ranking faced Maxim Dadashev who had two wins last season. Ualikhanov showed a great footwork getting away from long arms of his taller opponent. But he was fast enough to close the distance and land some hard jabs and crosses. Some boxers find it hard to hear and obey their coaches' instructions during fight, but the southpaw Kazakh is not one of them. He was paying attention to both his coach Mr. Korchinsky and the Director Bolat Mankenov’s emotional instructions during the bout. The judges gave 48:47, 49:46, 47:48 and the Arlan won over Dadashev and handed the determining point of the night to his team. The Astana Arlans were winning the Russian Boxing team 3:0 after the bout. It was not the end, despite the early results, because there were two more exciting bouts to come. An Alpha Wolf with iron fists Sergey Derevyanchenko (14WP/6TKO) faced Petr Khamukov (2WP). Derevyanchenko started off in a well paced manner. Khamukov was a well match opponent for Derevyanchenko and managed to connect several serious jabs in the face of the Ukrainian mercenary caped for the Kazakhstan team in the first round. The Arlan gained a momentum in the following round and got real serious with his attacks. Both boxers showcased a great fight, but it was Derevyachenko who, despite a cut eyebrow, was always one point ahead of his opponent and won the bout with the score of 50:45, 50:45, 50:43. The hymn of the the Russian Boxing team was playing on the repeat as the team losing 0-4 to the Kazakhs was not keen on getting into the ring again. The heavyweight category bout was the only chance for the Russian team to improve their standing at lease a little. Vasilii Levit, 25 fought against Aleksey Egorov, 22 who, despite being a debutant, was considered a serious opponent. Egorov proved the fears of the Astana Arlans coaches were not groundless and showed admirable speed, precision and some aggressive boxing. Levit even started having trouble in the later rounds due to the speed and vigor of the Russian orthodox boxer. But the judges gave 48:47,48:47,49:46 to Levit’s advantage and the Kazakh team won the Russian with a mind-blowing score of 5-0. While the Alpha Wolves were celebrating the win, the Russian were having hard time believing they were defeated. The head coach of the Russian Boxing Team Eduard Kravtsov showed his hot temper after Madi Shulakov’s win over Nikita Fedorchenko. “I consider Kazakhstan one of the strongest boxing powers in the world (…). But the referees have audaciously taken three wins from us,” claimed the angered Kravtsov after the fight. That probably was the reason why in the end, it was only the flag of the Russian Boxing Team that stood in the ring along with the Astana Arlans boxers. The Russian team was not in the mood to come out. Now the Arlans are on their way to Mexico City to fight the Mexico Guerreros on February 7. By Gyuzel Kamalova