Shocker in Baku world meet

BAKU (AFP) – Japan’s Ryota Murata stunned reigning champion Abbos Atoev of Uzbekistan at the world boxing championships on Saturday with a shock 16-1 win in the first round of the middleweight competition.

The 25-year-old Japanese will now face Mohammad Sattarpour of Iran, a 15-9 winner over Morocco’s Badreddine Haddioui.

Qiang Liu and Jianting Zhang led China’s charge at the championships to keep alive their country’s hopes in the lightweight and middleweight divisions.

Qiang, this year’s Asian championship silver medallist, outscored Turkey’s Fatih Keles 16-10 and next meets Mohamed Eliwa of Egypt, who defeated Dutchman Duljano Westhinger, 18-8.