Tony Davis celebrates Bahrain boxing breakthrough moment

TDT | Manama

Email : hussainm@newsofbahrain.com

Bahrain’s hosting of the 3rd Asian Youth Games continued yesterday with its first international boxing event, a milestone years in the making for national coach Tony Davis. From the opening bell, the event signaled a turning point for Bahrain’s youth athletes, offering them a stage against the region’s best.

“This is the first ever international boxing event in Bahrain,” Davis told The Daily Tribune. “And what a platform it’s been to give these young kids, who are going to be superstars of the future, a chance to show what they’re about.”

The opening day went on to deliver intensity from the very first bouts. Bahrain’s Mohammed Al-Marri edged Saudi Arabia’s Ali Alaskari 3-2, while China’s Qiancheng Jiang claimed a 5-0 win over Kyrgyzstan’s Imanbek Abdiraiimov. Later on, Tajikistan’s Behruz Umarov defeated Uzbeki- stan’s Habibulla Saynazarov 3-2, and Sri Lanka’s Janindu Wickrama Arachchilage beat Bangladesh’s Md Ali Asadullah by the same margin. As the night gathered pace and the stands filled up, Malaysia’s Muhammad Ashriq Ryan Bin Rosli beat Pakistan’s Huzaifa Raheel 4-1, and Turkmenistan’s Ibragim Iskanderov impressed by beating Mongolia’s Batkhuyag Agarzandan by the same score.

Momentum continued as Japan’s Kira Hasegawa won 4-1 over Jordan’s Osama Al-Khaldi, China’s Zhang Zhengkun defeated Thailand’s Chainarong Siwa 3-2. The crowd were particularly impressed in Iran’s Amirali Mehrabi’s bout as he was untouchable in his 5-0 win over India’s Sahil Duhan. The action then drew to a close as Japan’s Kenshin Sakuno shut out Turkmenistan’s Azizbek Farhadov 5-0, setting the stage for some memorable AYG boxing.

For Davis, the results mattered less than the experience gained. “It’s fantastic to see our fighters represented here,” he said. “This is a platform, not just a tournament, for them to show their skills and gain experience for the future.” Serving as both national coach and sports competition manager, he reflected on Bahrain’s journey to this stage. “Never could I have pictured the t e a m reaching this level,” he said. “The sky’s the limit, especially here in Bahrain.” He also praised the support of HH Shaikh Khalid bin Hamad Al Khalifa, whose backing made the Kingdom’s first international boxing event possible.

As the preliminaries concluded, Bahrain’s young boxers had already made their mark. Even those who could not compete were inspired, including national team boxer Salman Rafique, who was underage for the event but came to support his teammates. “I’m actually really proud that my teammates are fighting in this event,” he said. “It’s a really great event, and I’m happy to support them all. InshAllah I will be in their position one day”.

“It’s amazing to see Bahrain on the stage, facing multi-national teams and giving our kids a platform to grow,” Davis said. “These kids are the future, and now they’ve got the chance to step onto the world stage.” By the end of the session, his words captured the sentiment, reflecting Bahrain’s progress and the promise of its young boxers.