• Submitted by: lena campos
• Sports
• 10 / 26 / 2013

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Kazakhstan further bolstered their reputation as the new powerhouse of amateur boxing by winning four titles in front of their ecstatic home support on Saturday at the World Amateur Boxing Championships.

Their four golds, two silvers and two bronzes saw them top historically the most powerful amateur boxing nation Cuba, who ended up with just two gold, two silvers and a bronze, in the first major finals to dispense with headguards which thankfully ended with no serious head injuries.

The championships also once again highlighted how poor the United States have become in the amateur arena as they failed to win one medal following a similarly dismal performance at the Olympics last year.

It was the first time since the 1997 edition in Budapest that the Americans have failed to win a single medal.

Kazakhstan team head coach Myrzagali Aitzhanov said he was happy with the team's performance.

"I'm really pleased with my team's performance here," he said.

"We won eight medals including four golds, it a serious success.

"We all prepared hard for the event as we wanted to bring some joy to our supporters as boxing in very popular in Kazakhstan. Luckily we managed to do it."

One of the rare disappointments for the home crowd was the defeat for Ivan Dychko to Azeri pugilist and defending champion Magomedrasul Medzhidov in the super heavyweight category.

Medzhidov did it in the most dramatic and conclusive fashion by knocking out his Kazakh opponent in what was one of two golds for Azerbaijan.

Ireland's hopes of a first ever gold emdal at the championships disappeared as their first ever finalist 22-year-old Jason Quigley lost on points in the middleweight final to Zhanibek Alimkhanuly of Kazakhstan.

Quigley never recovered from being knocked down in the first round against his 20-year-old opponent who had benefited from having not had to fight his semi-final as Briton Anthony Fowler withdrew with a sore hand.

The Kazakh success is well-timed as the sports' governing body the AIBA opened the splendid Boxing Academy near to Almaty on Friday which wills erve to educate and train aspiring young boxers from round the world.

Despite their disappointing haul of medals Cuba still top the overall medals table with a commanding lead.

The Cubans have won 116 medals (64 gold, 29 silver, 23 bronze) since the first world championship in Havana in 1974 with their closest pursuers Russia, who have 48 medals (18 gold, 15 silver, 15 bronze).

The next championships are in Doha in 2015.

Source: France24.com