Azerbaijani boxer qualifies for 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games

By Azernews

By Akbar Mammadov

Azerbaijani boxer Tayfur Aliyev has qualified for 2020-Tokyo Summer Olympics Games during the European Olympic Qualifying Tournament in London, UK on March 17.

This was the first qualification for the Azerbaijani boxing team during the competition. The medalist of the European Games has qualified for Tokyo 2020.

Tayfur Aliyev (23) who was competing in the 57 kg weight category, made it to quarterfinals after defeating Edgaras Skurdelis (Lithuania) in the 1/8 final.

Another national boxer Rufat Huseynov, who competed in the 52 kg weight category, was also close to the Olympic license. However, in the 1/8 final, a defeat by Kosmin-Petre Girleanu (Romania) with a score of 2: 3 gave this opponent the right to qualify.        

Kamran Shahsuvarly, a member of the Azerbaijani national boxing team, in the second match was defeated by Ukrainian Alexander Khizhnyak who is a World and European champion, as well as the winner of the European Games.

On the third day of the European Olympic Qualifying Boxing Tournament on March 16, Azerbaijani Olympic medalist Lorenzo Sotomayor played his first match against Dmitry Galago (Moldova). The match, which took place in the 1/16 final stage, ended with the victory of Azerbaijani national boxing team representative. Sotomayor defeated his opponent with the score 4: 1 (29:28, 29:28, 30:27, 28:29, 29:28).

Azerbaijani national boxing team was represented by 11 boxers (8 men, 3 women) during the competition.

Other national boxers Anakhanim Aghayeva (51 kg), Rauf Rahimov (91 kg), Mahsati Hamzayeva (57 kg), Aynur Rzayeva (75 kg), Alfonso Dominguez (81 kg) and Mohammad Abdullayev (+91 kg) also participated in the competition.

It should be noted that all matches will take place after the tournament is resumed because the tournament has been stopped after midnight due to coronavirus. This decision was made by the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

The tournament is being held without fans due to coronavirus pandemic and will last until March 24.