Azerbaijan’s Malik Hasanov has advanced to the quarter-finals of the prestigious Strandja International Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria.
According to Idman.Biz, the national team member booked his place in the last eight with a comprehensive victory over Georgia’s Lasha Qaqnidze. Hasanov controlled the bout from start to finish, earning a unanimous 5-0 decision in the round of 16, with judges scoring it 30-27, 30-27, 30-27, 29-28 and 30-27.
He will now face Kazakhstan’s Yertugan Zeynulinov in the quarter-finals, in what promises to be a stern test against one of the traditional powerhouses of amateur boxing.
Hasanov is not the only Azerbaijani to make an impact in Sofia. Earlier, Bilalhabashi Nazarov in the 50kg division, Zidan Hunbatov at 55kg and Mahammadali Ashiraliyev at 60kg also progressed to the quarter-final stage, underlining the depth and competitiveness of the national squad at one of Europe’s oldest and most respected boxing tournaments.
