Kazakh boxers spar with U.S., Mexican pro boxers ahead of Rio Olympics

Nine professional boxers from Columbia, Mexico, the U.S. and the Dominican Republic were invited to the Boxing Development Center in the Kazakh capital to have sparring sessions with our athletes.

"Everything went according to plan. Our boxers are 70% ready," said head coach of the national team Myrzagali Aitzhanov after the sparring sessions.

"This is sort of practice. The foreign boxers invited to the sparring sessions are interested in them more, than we are. Because of the school of Kazakh boxing is internationally renowned," he said.

"For instance, professional boxer Kanat Islam works with Daniyar Yeleussinov, Zhanibel Alimkhanuly and Adilbek Niyazymbetov - he's very pleased with how the things are going. He thinks it is better for our boys to train for the Rio Olympics here than in the U.S.," Aitzhanov added.