KARACHI, Oct 9: Title-holders Pakistan continued their dismal run yet on the second day of the Green Hill Cup international boxing tournament with only two of the six home pugilists reaching the semifinals on Thursday.

Lightweight Asghar Ali Shah of Pakistan Greens was declared a 10-5 winner against Azerbaijan’s Ajalov Farhad, although he could not deliver what the fans and experts were expecting from him at the KPT Sports Complex.

The 25-year-old Pakistani, who has switched over from light-welterweight to lightweight recently, was sluggish and looked out-of-sort in the first round against the Azerbaijani.

Olympian Asghar, a Commonwealth Games silver medallist, was visibly drained and lacking in stamina in the fourth round and gasping even after the fight.

“This was my first fight after changing the weight category and my opponent was a junior world champion. It will take some time for me to adjust in my present weight that is why my knees bent in the final round,” Asghar said after the bout.

Azerbaijan coach Mamed Eyvazov said the bout was close and his boxer would have won had he been fighting in his home country.

“Ajalov is a good boxer. I am sure he would have won the fight against Asghar had he been competing in the tournament in Azerbaijan,” Eyvazov told Dawn through interpreter.

Another Pakistan Greens boxer Akhtar Pervaiz cruised into the flyweight semifinals after a 17-8 victory over China’s Li Deke, while his four compatriots lost after one-sided bouts.

Pakistan Whites’ lightweight Sajid Raja crashed out of the tournament after losing to Turkey’s Selcuk Aydin 7-26.

Having better technique and footwork, the Turk was aggressive right from the first bell and forced the referee to give Sajid eight mandatory counts following a nasty right in the first round.

Aydin’s cautious approach and accuracy gave him crucial points in the second and third rounds enabling him to win despite eight counts in the final round.

Unknown light-welterweight Ibraheem of Pakistan Greens was no match against skilful Russian Ishm Khametov Eccard who easily outscored his inexperienced rival.

After judging Pakistani’s capabilities in the first round, the Russian sprang into action in the second and his stinging left resulted in eight counts for Ibraheem who was outscored 21-1.

Welterweight Sofivev Orhan of Azerbaijan treated Muzammil of Pakistan Whites as a punching bag going on an all out attack against his hapless opponent.

Orhan’s telling blows were followed by eight counts twice for Muzammil in the opening round before the Pakistani lost 1-21.

Heavyweight Riaz Kansi of Pakistan Whites was meted out same treatment by Turkey’s Ertu Rul Ergezen who thrashed the local boxer before the referee stopped the contest in the first round.

Thailand’s Somcahi Nakbaree won 23-10 after an interesting light-welterweight skirmish against Philippines’ Florencsio Ferrer.

Nakbaree, the best boxer of the second edition of the tournament in 2000, and his Filipino opponent came out of their shells in the second round after analysing each other in the opening round.

Backed by a small but vociferous flag-waving Thai crowd, Nakbaree dominated in the second and third rounds and emerged a worthy winner after some accurate jabs in the fourth.

While Pakistan were finding it difficult to defend their title for the second time, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan and Turkey dominated with three of their boxers qualifying for the semifinals.

Results (quarterfinals):