The Golden Belt Tournament is the next elite female and male competition on the road for the preparations to the European Elite Boxing Championships.
The next edition of the traditional Golden Belt Tournament will feature in the Polivalenta Hall in Braila, Romania on July 10-18 this year and big boxing stars will join the competition.
Braila is located in the northwest of the historical region of Wallachia and it is an important port on the Danube River with a population of more than 150,000.
Such world-class nations as the No.1 Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Cuba, India and Ukraine have already entered to the Golden Belt Tournament and their athletes will guarantee the top quality of boxing in Braila.
Haiti is a small country but one of their talents decided also to join the upcoming Golden Belt Tournament in Braila in order to prepare to the main goals of the year.
The Golden Belt Tournament will be fully transparent with live scoring at the Boxerbase website at www.boxerbase.comand all of the fans can follow the event.
The Romanian Boxing Federation has celebrated its 100th anniversary earlier this year and their Golden Belt Tournament will be a highlight this summer. Big names and Olympic Champions earned their gold medals in the history of the Golden Belt Tournament in Romania.
Braila is a boxing city which hosted several international competitions as the European U22 Boxing Championships. Braila arranged also the 2025 edition of the Dracula Open Tournament and several national events.
Romania started the year to host the Dracula Open Tournament and the Golden Belt is their main elite competition in 2026.
The event will take place in all of the 10 women and 10 men weight categories in Romania where the first competition day is July 11. The women and the men finals have been divided into two parts and these will take place in the event on July 16 and 17.
The competition is a perfect opportunity to prepare for the upcoming European Elite Boxing Championships which will be held in Sofia on September 15-26.
The facts of the Golden Belt Tournament
Name: Golden Belt Tournament
Competition Period: July 11-17
Venue: Braila, Romania
Gender: Women & Men
Age Group: Elite
Date of Birth of the boxers: 1986-2007 born boxers
The weight categories of the Golden Belt Tournament
Women’s: 48kg, 51kg, 54kg, 57kg, 60kg, 65kg, 70kg, 75kg, 80kg and +80kg
Men’s: 50kg, 55kg, 60kg, 65kg, 70kg, 75kg, 80kg, 85kg, 90kg, and +90kg
The schedule of the Golden Belt Tournament
July 10 – Arrival of the delegations
July 10, 16:00-20:00 – Sport Entries Check
July 10, 20:00 – Technical Meeting
July 10, 20:30 – Official Draw
July 11, 15:00 & 19:00 – Day1 competition
July 12, 15:00 & 19:00 – Day2 competition
July 13, 15:00 & 19:00 – Day3 competition
July 14, 15:00 & 19:00 – Day4 competition
July 15, 15:00 & 19:00 – Day5 competition
July 16, 16:00 – Day6 competition with the women’s finals
July 17, 16:00 – Day7 competition with the men’s finals
July 18 – Departure of the delegations
The current year for the U19 boxers is extremely busy and their next preparation event before the main goals, the 31stedition of the Brandenburg U19 Cup will be held for the female and male boxers in Frankfurt an der Oder, Germany on July 10-15.
Azerbaijan, Belgium, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czechia, Estonia, France, Georgia, Germany, Hong Kong, Hungary, Iceland, Israel, Italy, Lithuania, Poland, Seychelles, Sweden and Ukraine are planning to send their teams to the Brandenburg U19 Cup.
The Sport Center Frankfurt will be the venue of the traditional U19 competition in Frankfurt an der Oder as in the previous years.
Boxers from the 2008 and the 2009 age groups are eligible to participate in the Brandenburg U19 Cup in Germany from next week.
Germany’s next international event is available for all of the National Federations and the competition will support to increase the number of bouts for these young talents.
The promising US star, Lorenzo Patricio, England’s Mohammed Safari, Georgia’s Akaki Basaria, Australia’s Diyanshu Redhu and Joseph Awinongya won the best male finals in the last edition of the Brandenburg U19 Youth Cup in Germany in August 2025.
The number of the female U19 boxers was 50 while 121 male talents were also there in the Brandenburg Cup to win the 18 available titles in the last edition.
Among the top boxing nations, United States of America, England, Italy, Canada, Germany, Australia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Poland, New Zealand, Hungary, Romania, and Lithuania were all there in Frankfurt an der Oder one year ago.
The Brandenburg U19 Cup will be a preparation event for the upcoming European U19 Boxing Championships which will take place in Loznica, Serbia on August 11-22. The U19 World Boxing Championships is scheduled to be hosted by Montenegro’s boxing city, Budva on October 13-28.
The facts of the Brandenburg U19 Cup
Name: Brandenburg U19 Cup
Competition Period: July 11-14
Venue: Frankfurt an der Oder, Germany
Gender: Women & Men
Age Group: U19
Date of Birth of the boxers: 2008-2009 born boxers
The weight categories of the Brandenburg U19 Cup
Women’s: 48kg, 51kg, 54kg, 57kg, 60kg, 65kg, 70kg, 75kg, 80kg and +80kg
Men’s: 50kg, 55kg, 60kg, 65kg, 70kg, 75kg, 80kg, 85kg, 90kg, and +90kg
The schedule of the Brandenburg U19 Cup
July 10 – Arrival of the delegations
July 10, 14:00-18:00 – Boxing Entries Check
July 10, 19:30 – Technical Meeting
July 10, 20:00 – Official Draw
July 11, 11:00 & 15:00 & 19:00 – Day1 competition
July 12, 11:00 & 15:00 & 19:00 – Day2 competition
July 13, 11:00 & 15:00 & 19:00 – Day3 competition
July 14, 11:00 & 16:00 – Day4 competition with the finals
July 15 – Departure of the delegations
Serbia’s 17-year-old prodigy, Pavle Popovic was named as the Best Male Boxer of the 44th Golden Gloves of Vojvodina U19 Tournament in Subotica where all of the men’s finals are concluded.
Hungary topped the medal standings with seven gold medals ahead of Serbia, Romania and Montenegro in this 44thGolden Gloves of Vojvodina U19 Tournament.
Boxers who were born in 2008 and in 2009 were eligible to participate in the Golden Gloves of Vojvodina U19 Youth Tournament.
The Golden Gloves of Vojvodina served as a preparation event for the European U19 Boxing Championships and the World Boxing U19 Championships. The Serbians have been preparing hard to arrange the European U19 Boxing Championships in the city of Loznica in the highest level.
The bout of the day
Serbia’s European Junior Champion Pavle Popovic joined their U19 national team this January and he advanced to the finals of the men’s 50kg after beating a Hungarian opponent. The 17-year-old Serbian had the energetic and successful attacks in the final against Romania’s Birhan Dava Iusem, and he claimed the first male gold medal at the 44th of the Golden Gloves of Vojvodina.
The surprise of the day
Hungary’s Andras Gyoni claimed the title in their Istvan Enekes U19 National Tournament earlier this year but he is inexperienced in the international competitions. The Hungarian had a strong Serbian rival, Vuk Milenkovic in the final of the 90kg and he shocked his opponent with his power. Milenkovic had more contests and events during his career than the Hungarian but Gyoni stopped him less than three minutes, winning the final by RSC.
The Round-Up
Romania’s Denis Alexandrescu amazed in the recent European U17 Boxing Championships and he has quickly adopted the strength of the punches in his new weight class, at the 55kg. The 17-year-old Romanian eliminated a top opponent in the last four and he worked hard in all of the three rounds to beat Serbia’s Jovan Dimitrijevic.
Hungary’s Andras Horvath earned several tournament titles in the recent two years and he defeated three good opponents in the Golden Gloves of Vojvodina. Following his key success in the quarter-finals over Romania’s Stefan Udroiu, he was too smart for two of the best Serbians at the 60kg. The 18-year-old boxer followed the right strategy against Serbia’s Edin Music and he achieved Hungary’s first male gold medal in Subotica.
Romania’s next key boxer in the U19 age group, Florin Ulmeanu also made a remarkable performance in the event and he has the strong plans to return to Loznica for the Europeans with gold medal hopes. The Romanian started the first round of the 65kg final better than Montenegro’s Vuk Dabovic and he was able to keep the same strong rhythm until the last gong of their title contest.
Hungary’s Alex Domjan achieved a bronze medal at the European U17 Boxing Championships last December and the 17-year-old is now the member of their U19 squad. Domjan is famous of his strong and powerful punches which he introduced once again in the 75kg final against Serbia’s Dusan Radenkovic. The Hungarian controlled the first round well enough and he finished the job with heavy combinations in the second.
Montenegro’s European U17 Champion Matija Roganovic is the best future hope of the developing boxing country and he left the venue of the Golden Gloves of Vojvodina with a gold medal. Matija follows his brother, the 20-year-old Milos’ pathway and he got the right instructions from Nikola Ruzic to win the final of the 85kg against Hungary’s Gyula Bozai unanimously.
The women’s finals are all concluded in the Golden Gloves of Vojvodina U19 Tournament in Subotica, Serbia where the Hungarians made a clean sweep. Their Patricia Petriman, a former European medallist, was announced as the Best Female Boxer of the event.
After the Belgrade Winner Tournament, and the World Junior Nations’ Cup, the 44th edition of the Golden Gloves of Vojvodina U19 Tournament is the next international event in Serbia.
Boxers who were born in 2008 and in 2009 are eligible to participate in the upcoming Golden Gloves of Vojvodina U19 Youth Tournament where the men’s finals are still scheduled this weekend on Sunday.
The Golden Gloves of Vojvodina serves as a preparation event for the European U19 Boxing Championships and the World Boxing U19 Championships.
The bout of the day
Two European medallists in the junior level of boxing, Hungary’s Zsofia Kiss and Serbia’s Jovana Devetakovic advanced to the final of the women’s 57kg weight class in Subotica. Both boxers were born in 2009 and both had the same fighting style and level of experience from the international competitions. Kiss used more complex and flexible tactics in the decisive third round and she celebrated a tight success over the Serbian athlete, which was a good start for the Hungarian in terms of preparations for the Youth Olympic Games.
The surprise of the day
Hungary’s Nora Illes competed in the national events successfully in the recent three years but she did not participate several international tournaments yet. The 18-year-old Hungarian exceeded all of her previous level in this Golden Gloves of Vojvodina and she defeated two excellent boxers in the event, firstly Serbia’s Anja Salata, secondly North Macedonia’s Sofija Stankovska at the women’s 60kg.
The Round-Up
Hungary’s European Junior medallist Patricia Petriman is their most experienced U19 talent in the national team and she impressed in the entire Golden Gloves of Vojvodina. The 18-year-old boxer eliminated Melinda Utasi in the semi-finals and she stopped another Serbian, Jelena Juros in the final of the women’s 51kg. Petriman, whose elder brother is also a national team member in Hungary, awarded also at the Best Female Boxer of the event.
Hungary’s next Eszter Toro joined the U19 age group only this January but she has already four years of routine in the national competitions. The 17-year-old Hungarian stopped North Macedonia’s Matea Ilievska in the semi-finals of the women’s 65kg weight class and she advanced to the finals in Subotica. Toro controlled most of the exchanges against Serbia’s Dunja Vuksic and she earned the fourth-in-a-row title for the Hungarians.
Serbia’s No.1, Pavle Popovic was a European Junior gold medallist in the past and he joined their U19 national team in the recent months. The 17-year-old Serbian had the stronger punches than Hungary’s Laszlo Papai and he controlled their semi-final bout at the men’s 50kg weight category.
The European U17 silver medallist Denis-Aurel Alexandrescu of Romania met Hungary’s Dominik Gombai who claimed a bronze medal at the 2023 Junior World Boxing Championships on Day2. The younger Romanian found the best rhythm in the first round against the experienced Hungarian and he worked until the very last moment to eliminate his 18-year-old opponent.
Montenegro sent its best U19 boxers to the Golden Gloves of Vojvodina, and their Vuk Dabovic had the routine to join the final of the men’s 65kg weight class. The Montenegrin athlete was too strong for Hungary’s Peter Pinter and he will now meet Romania’s Florin Ulmeanu who had a tight success against Serbia’s Matija Velic in the second semi-final of this busy weight class.
The Golden Gloves of Vojvodina will be held for the U19 female and male boxers in Subotica, Serbia which is the most important event of the week.
After the Belgrade Winner Tournament, and the World Junior Nations’ Cup, the 44th edition of the Golden Gloves of Vojvodina U19 Tournament is the next international event in Serbia.
The Serbians are very active hosting events in the first half of the year and their 44th edition of the Golden Gloves of Vojvodina U19 Youth Tournament will take place in the city of Subotica, Vojvodina, Serbia on June 24-28.
The best boxers from Serbia, Hungary, Montenegro, Romania, North Macedonia, Croatia and Bosnia & Herzegovina will guarantee the highest level of boxing in Subotica.
Boxers who were born in 2008 and in 2009 are eligible to participate in the upcoming Golden Gloves of Vojvodina U19 Youth Tournament.
The venue of the event is the Sports Hall in Subotica which is located in North Serbia near to the Hungarian border and the city is famous of its busy sports life.
The Golden Gloves of Vojvodina has a bright tradition since 1980 and such stars as Geard Ajetovic, Egor Mekhontsev, Branimir Stankovic, Billal Bennama, Agnes Alexiusson, Martina La Piana and Sara Cirkovic all were award winners in the previous editions.
The upcoming event in Serbia will serve as preparation for the European U19 Boxing Championships and the World Boxing U19 Championships.
The facts of the Golden Gloves of Vojvodina U19 Youth Tournament
Name: Golden Gloves of Vojvodina U19 Tournament
Competition Period: June 24-28
Venue: Subotica, Serbia
Gender: Women & Men
Age Group: U19
Date of Birth of the boxers: 2008-2009 born boxers
The schedule of the Golden Gloves of Vojvodina U19 Youth Tournament
June 22 – Arrival of the delegations
June 23, 19:00 – Technical Meeting
June 23, 20:00 – Official Draw
June 24 – Day1 competition
June 25 – Day2 competition
June 26 – Day3 competition
June 27 – Day4 competition
June 28 – Day5 competition with the finals
June 29 – Departure of the delegations
Bahrain’s Asian Champion Jayden Price conquered Bosnia & Herzegovina with his success at the Olympic Hopes Tournament in Sarajevo where the Italians, the Croatians and the Azeris bagged most of the titles.
The Olympic Hopes Tournament took place for the U19, U17 and U15 age groups in Sarajevo, where several of the future hopes impressed in the first and second sessions.
Azerbaijan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Italy, the Netherlands, Palestine, Romania, Samoa, Serbia, Slovenia, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine and United Arab Emirates participated in the competition in Sarajevo.
The bout of the day
Italy’s Kesia Reale competed in the last edition of the European U17 Boxing Championships, then the World Boxing U19 Future Cup and she has still strong targets this year which makes all of the U19 pugilists busy. The Italian had a wonderful start in the final of the women’s 54kg against Azerbaijan’s Gular Musayeva but her opponent quickly adopted the tempo of the fight. Musayeva, who is also a well-decorated boxer in the international level, was near to beat the Italian but Reale had also the strong finish to take the title of the competition.
The surprise of the day
Rachele Perna represented Italy in several top championships and she is their high hope also in the upcoming main events but her teammate, Estella Filardi surprised her in the final of the women’s 60kg. The decision was hard for the judges between the two top Italians but Filardi’s hand rose after the last bell of this final.
The Round-Up
Jayden Price was born in England but he switched to Bahrain two years ago and since then he delivered two Asian titles for his new nation. He followed the instructions of his coaches and he controlled the first round against another Asian athlete, Palestine’s Abdurahman Alshareef at the 54kg final. Price was one of the top names of the entire Olympic Hopes Tournament and he had the full control of his U17 title contest.
Slovenia’s Ajnur Memic caused a small surprise in the second day of boxing in Sarajevo but he was not able to repeat that strong confidence and performance in the final of the 60kg. The Slovenian was caught by his Ukrainian opponent, Denis Snigur with heavy punches and his opponent has finished the job in the first round.
Bahrain’s next ace in the U17 national team, Mohamed Attia impressed in the day of the semi-finals with his success at the 75kg weight class. Bahrain’s pride was not able to keep the same rhythm as Croatia’s Cerim Hoxhaj and his opponent had the advantages on the judges’ scorecards after two minutes of fight. Hoxhaj felt that he has the better technical skills and his efforts until the last second guaranteed the gold medal for the young Croatian.
Bosnia & Herzegovina has promising U15, U17 and U19 boxers in the national team and among them Kenan Ciric proved his best on Day3. The 16-year-old athlete is not an experienced one in the international events but he had the strong commitment in all of the three rounds to beat Croatia’s Matej Blazevic.
Azerbaijan has strong traditions in the smaller weight categories and their U19 boxers continued those efforts in the day of the finals. Ali Aliyev defeated Italy’s Mateo Alberico at the 50kg, which was followed by his teammate, Nihat Gasimov at the 55kg, who had to beat another Italian, Tommaso Orlando in Sarajevo. Ali Baghishov finalized the U19 challenges between Azerbaijan and Italy to 3-0 taking the title of the 60kg.
Bosnia & Herzegovina’s next sensation, their No.1 in the U19 squad, Eldin Hodzic had an excellent success in the semi-finals and he continued his winning path against Ukraine’s Yaroslav Kostyshyn. Hodzic has competed already in three editions of the European Boxing Championships and his active preparation to the next was a great success and resulted a gold medal for the 18-year-old Bosnian.
Annoucement Papp Cup 2026 EB PBC HBA
The European Boxing, the Pan American Boxing Confederation and the Hungarian Boxing Association are extremely proud to announce the creation of the Papp Cup Confederation Boxing Duel, the first edition of which will take place in Budapest, Hungary.
On 14 November 2026, Budapest will host a boxing event of historic significance. As a result of a collaboration between the Hungarian Boxing Federation, European Boxing, and the Pan American Boxing Confederation, the Papp Cup will be held for the first time, bringing together the best boxers from Europe and the Pan American continent to compete in a team tournament.
In the history of the sport, it is rare for the finest competitors from two continents to step into the ring not for individual ambitions, but for a shared team goal. The Papp Cup offers precisely this experience, bringing together the best of world amateur boxing to represent their continents as a single team for one evening. It is a transcontinental celebration of Olympic-style boxing.
The goal of the Papp Cup is to showcase the values of the sport to the widest possible audience and to provide fresh inspiration to young fans of boxing around the world.
This is more than just a competition: it is a bridge between two continents, which is why the event’s significance extends far beyond the sporting results.
For many decades, Europe and the Americas have been major centers of Olympic boxing. Numerous Olympic and world champions, the most successful competitors, legendary coaches, and influential sports leaders have emerged from these two continents. Although competition is a natural part of sport, the boxing community has always been built on mutual respect and cooperation. The Papp Cup symbolizes this connection. The event provides an opportunity for athletes, coaches, referees, and sports leaders to celebrate boxing together, strengthen professional cooperation, and build new friendships across continents.
The Legacy of a Legend
The cup is named after László Papp, an icon not only in Hungary, but also throughout the world of boxing. He was the first boxer to win gold medals at three consecutive Olympic Games: London in 1948, Helsinki in 1952 and Melbourne in 1956. As well as winning three Olympic gold medals, he was a paragon of sportsmanship and human greatness, leaving an indelible mark on the history of world sports. His name symbolizes the values upon which the Papp Cup is built: excellence, respect and international friendship.
Budapest is once again at the center of the world of boxing
On 14 November 2026, the best boxers from Europe and the Americas will compete in the Papp Cup, a competition that showcases the power of boxing to connect cultures and nations. It sends a message to the world that sport has the power to connect cultures, nations and continents. Boxing still embodies the same timeless values that made it an Olympic sport, and it is the protection of these values that allows it to remain part of the Olympic family.
PBC Madame President Elise Seignolle’s quote:
The Papp Cup represents the very best of Olympic-style boxing: excellence, respect, and international friendship. By bringing together the top athletes from Europe and Pan America, we are creating a unique platform that celebrates both high-level competition and the values that unite our sport.
The future of Olympic-style boxing depends on collaboration and shared purpose. We are proud to help launch a new tradition that will inspire athletes, strengthen international cooperation, and showcase the very best of Olympic- style boxing, and look forward to an unforgettable evening of boxing in Budapest.
EB President Lars Brovil’s quote:
European Boxing as a newly established Confederation with full focus on developing the Olympic style Boxing are delighted to be a part of this new innovative project to promote the highest level of Elite Athletes within Olympic Boxing, in a close joint corporation between Confederations and its National Federation members, under the umbrella of World Boxing.
Looking forward seeing you in Budapest under the guidance of the Hungarian Boxing Association.
HBA President Istvan ”Koko” Kovacs’s quote:
“In recent years, the Hungarian capital has repeatedly proven itself to be one of the world's leading centers for international boxing. It has hosted countless continental and Elite World Championships and is home to one of the sport's oldest and most prestigious memorial tournaments. By hosting the first edition of Papp Cup, Budapest once again has the opportunity to shine the spotlight on Olympic-style boxing.”
Two continents. One ring. Shared values. An unforgettable evening in Budapest celebrating Olympic-style boxing.
India topped the medal standings at the Grand Prix Usti nad Labem in the Czech Republic ahead of Hungary, Czechia, Slovakia, Italy and Bulgaria.
Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Montenegro, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Slovakia, Turkey and Wales competed in Usti nad Labem as preparation for the next actions.
The bout of the day
Hungary’s Luca Hamori, the quarter-finalist from the Paris Olympics, had a massive pathway to the finals of the women’s 65kg where she met India’s Parveen Hooda, a well-experienced and a tall opponent. The 25-year-old Hungarian not only kept the same rhythm as Parveen but she worked well enough to take the gold medal, her next after the annual Bocskai Memorial Tournament.
The surprise of the day
Bulgaria’s Roselin Bachevski was not mentioned as the favourite of the 90kg weight class in Usti nad Labem but finally he reached the top of the podium. The Bulgarian heavyweight boxer eliminated two top Hungarians as the Youth World bronze medallist Levente Kiss and Milan Kiss during his road to the finals. Bachevski was still hungry for the further successes and he had another remarkable performance in the final against India’s Kapil Pokhariya.
The Round-up
Hungary’s European U23 silver medallist Lilla Szeleczki claimed a silver medal at the Belgrade Winner Tournament last month and she switched that result into a gold in Usti nad Labem. The 23-year-old Hungarian was a hard target for Slovakia’s experienced Nicole Durikova and she controlled the exchanges with her speed advantage. Szeleczki jumped into the best fighting range with quick actions and her efforts were decisive in the first final of the entire Grand Prix.
India’s Sakshi Choudhary defeated her World Champion teammate, Nikhat Zareen in the National Selection Trials therefore she found the way to compete in the upcoming Commonwealth Games. The 26-year-old former Youth World Champion used also a long-range strategy as Szeleczki and her efforts paid off against France’s Mayssoun Bourega in the final of the women’s 51kg.
India’s next hero in the women’s national team, the Paris Olympian and the Asian Champion Preeti Pawar was too smart for all of her opponents in the Grand Prix. The 23-year-old boxer felt the tempo against France’s next finalist, Jeyssa Marcel and she had the advantage on the scorecards after three minutes. Preeti, who has been also preparing for the Commonwealth Games, earned a gold medal before that multisport event in Czechia.
Hungary’s second finalist, Vladislava Kukhta was a silver medallist at the World Cup Stage 1 in Brazil and she had a great preparation camp in Assisi before the Grand Prix Usti nad Labem. The Hungarian eliminated Turkey’s Olympics bronze medallist Esra Yildiz Kahraman in the semi-finals of the women’s 57kg and she controlled her final bout against Czechia’s returning Lenka Bernardova as well.
Wales’ Commonwealth Games winner Rosie Eccles returned to the sport in the beginning of the year after the unsuccessful Paris Olympics. The Welsh girl built herself back not only physically but also mentally as well and the 70kg weight category is the best for her. Eccles was too strong for France’s Andrea Badin in the next final and she celebrated an emotional gold medal before the next Commonwealth Games.
India’s Lovlina Borgohain is a World Champion, Asian Champion and Olympic bronze medallist star in women’s boxing who also joined back the national squad this year. She worked hard in all of her events in 2026 and she continued her winning path after beating Italy’s Melissa Gemini at the 75kg. Czechia’s Stella Blazkova, the U19 World Champion from 2024, earned the last female title against Norway’s Sofia Stigen Sorensen at the 80kg.
Philippines’ Clark Vicera shined in the European preparation events last month and their next top athlete at the 50kg weight class, Jay Bryan Baricuatro was their next amazing boxer in the smallest male division in Usti nad Labem. The Filipino, who claimed already medal in Asian levels as well, overcame Bulgaria’s Ergyunal Sebahtin Sabri in the attacks and he bagged the first male title in the event.
England’s Abdul-Rahman Burton knocked out France’s European U23 Champion Izaya Gaucher in the semi-finals but he was not able to beat India’s Jadumani Singh Mandengbam in the men’s 55kg final and earned only a silver medal this time. The next Indian, Sachin Siwach also succeeded in the day of the finals, he was slightly quicker in the attacks than Hungary’s returning Roland Veres.
Slovakia’s Adolf Stanek exceeded his previous level of boxing in the entire competition and he claimed a gold medal against Wales’ Orlando Holley-Sotomi in the final of the 70kg. His teammate, Ladislav Horvath also joined the finals in Usti nad Labem but Hungary’s World bronze medallist Akilov Pylyp was too strong for him at the 75kg title bout.
Italy’s Giacomo Giannotti, India’s Ankush, Austria’s World bronze medallist Michael Fares Derouiche and India’s Narender Berwal won the remaining male titles in Usti nad Labem.
Serbia’s Jana Nataros and Slovenia’s Maik Stojnic won the tightest U17 contests at the Olympic Hopes Tournament in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina.
The Olympic Hopes Tournament is taking place for the U19, U17 and U15 age groups in Sarajevo, where several of the future hopes impressed in the first and second sessions.
Azerbaijan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Italy, the Netherlands, Palestine, Romania, Samoa, Serbia, Slovenia, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine and United Arab Emirates are participating in the competition in Sarajevo.
The bout of the day
Maik Stojnic claimed a bronze medal at the recent European U15 Boxing Championships in Budva last October and the Slovenian joined the U17 age group this January. Stojnic moved up to the 63kg weight class and he used his longer reach well enough to beat Italy’s Mattia Fabi in one of the top junior bouts of the day. The Italian caught the Slovenian a few times in all of the three rounds but Stojnic’s longer reach was enough to win this superb bout.
The surprise of the day
Azerbaijan’s Fatima Mammadli bagged a silver medal at the European Schoolgirls Boxing Championships and she was the main favourite at the women’s 50kg. The 15-year-old Azeri knew her opponent, Serbia’s Jana Nataros from U15 competitions but she was not able to keep the same speed in all of the three rounds. Mammadli moved up several categories this year and the Serbian adopted the level of the U17 boxers better in their bout in Sarajevo where the judges favoured 3:2 Nataros.
The Round-Up
Azerbaijan’s Aysel Farajova competed already in two editions of the European Championships and at the Commonwealth of Independent States Games as well. The strong Azeri boxer had to face with her teammate, Aydan Ismaili at the 48kg but she stopped her rival with heavy punches in the second round.
Romania’s Raian Nicolas Cola had a quick success over Bahrain’s Ameen Ibrahim at the 57kg weight category which was stopped by the referee in the first round. Ukraine’s Denys Snigur also landed stronger punches than his opponent at the 60kg, Palestine’s Atef Alshareef and his solid performance guaranteed a success for the 16-year-old.
Ajnur Memic has Bosnian roots but he represents Slovenia in the international stage and he had the strong opener in Sarajevo against a local boxer, Darin Tapolovic. The Slovenian had the advantage on the judges’ scorecards after two minutes of fight and he was able to keep the same rhythm until the last gong at the 60kg.
Bahrain sent their best young talents to the Olympic Hopes Tournament and this is their next return to the international events after the Middle East crisis. Their Mohamed Attia won all of the three rounds on the scorecards against Romania’s Eduard Marian Tangerica and he proved the next strong U17 performance in Sarajevo.
Serbia’s U15 national team member, Tadija Mitic had a successful mission against Croatia’s Luka Orec in the 40kg weight class. The next Serbian, Aksentije Pejic had some surprises in the previous Nations Junior Cup in Vrbas but this time he suffered a loss to Bosnia & Herzegovina’s Ajdin Skopljak.
Croatia’s European U15 competitor Maroje Stojanovic had a dangerous rival at the 63kg, United Arab Emirates’ Mukhammad Kitaev, but he managed to win the fight with his tactical repertoires. The Croatian is a strong member from their 2012 age group and he has huge potential also to earn medals in the next European U15 Boxing Championships.
England’s Abdul-Rahman Burton made a revenge and knocked out France’s Izaya Gaucher in the semi-finals of the Grand Prix Usti nad Labem in the Czech Republic today.
Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Montenegro, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Slovakia, Turkey and Wales are competing in Usti nad Labem.
The bout of the day
Hungary’s Vladislava Kukhta defeated Poland’s Olympic silver medallist Julia Szeremeta in the Brazilian World Boxing Cup two months ago and she had another big scalp in the Grand Prix Usti nad Labem today. The 27-year-old Hungarian followed the instructions of her head coach, Mr. Emanuele Renzini from the first seconds and she eliminated Turkey’s Olympics bronze medallist Esra Yildiz Kahraman at the 57kg. The Hungarian will now meet for the gold medal Czechia’s Lenka Bernardova who returned to the events earlier this year after giving birth to her son.
The surprise of the day
France’s Izaya Gaucher defeated England’s Abdul-Rahman Burton in the final of the recent European U23 Boxing Championships in Budapest seven months ago. The French and her English rival both are technician boxers with fantastic footwork and their re-match was one of the most anticipated contests in Usti nad Labem today. Burton not only made a revenge for that loss in the European final but he knocked out Gaucher in the first round of their 55kg semi-final bout.
The Round-up
Hungary’s European U23 silver medallist Lilla Szeleczki was a finalist at the Belgrade Winner Tournament in Serbia one month ago and she repeated that performance in the Czech Republic as well. The 23-year-old Hungarian used her best strategy and long-distance punches with quick actions effectively against Italy’s ex-kickboxer Chiara Mosetti today to join the finals of the women’s 48kg.
France’s Mayssoun Bourega was an unknown boxer in the international stage one and half year ago and after a few events she has the experience to beat such good athletes as Czechia’s European U19 silver medallist Claudia Totova. The French boxer had a hectic success over the more experienced local girl and she will now face for the gold medal with India’s No.1, Sakshi Choudhary.
India’s defending Asian Champion, the Paris Olympian Preeti Pawar did not underestimate her Hungarian opponent, the European bronze medallist Hanna Lakotar today. The Indian 54kg boxer gained the control of their semi-final in the first round and she was able to keep that until the last gong of this semi-final. The 23-year-old Indian will be boxing for the gold medal of this strong weight category with France’s Jeyssa Marcel who had a close success over Finland’s Emma Jokiaho.
India’s Sachin failed his last bout, the so-called Box-off in the 2nd World Olympic Boxing Qualifying Event in Bangkok two years ago and he had to miss the Paris Olympics. The Indian is now more experienced and his technical skills overmatched Junmilardo Ogayre’s boxing knowledge in Usti. Following his unanimous success against the Filipino boxer, he will be facing for the title with Hungary’s returning Roland Veres at the 60kg.
Austria’s Emin Yildiz was highly confident in the entire competition but he suffered a loss to Italy’s Giacomo Giannotti in the semi-finals of the 65kg. His teammate, the World bronze medallist Michael Fares Derouiche was more punctual in his semi-final bout and he eliminated Bulgaria’s tall Semion Boldirev. Derouiche was expect strong resistance in the final of the 85kg in Usti nad Labem where he will now meet Czechia’s Daniel Komarek.
Slovakia’s Adolf Stanek had some unexpected triumphs in the recent competitions and he shocked his Indian opponent, Sumit Kundu with his strength to join the final of the 70kg weight category. His compatriot, Ladislav Horvath walked over to the title contest of the 75kg where his last opponent will be Hungary’s World bronze medallist Pylyp Akilov.
Bulgaria’s Roselin Bachevski and India’s Kapil Pokhariya will be the finalists at the 90kg weight class after their successes over Hungarian and Welsh opponents. Armenia’s World silver medallist Davit Chaloyan used his fighting range well to beat England’s newcomer Clinton Achusim and he can face for the title with India’s veteran, Narender Berwal at the super heavyweight.
The next important European event, the Olympic Hopes Tournament will take place for the U19, U17 and U15 age groups in Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina on June 18-21. The competition will start with 22 bouts today with such a young star as Bahrain’s Asian U17 Champion Jayden Price opens the entire event.
Azerbaijan, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Croatia, Italy, Palestine, Romania, Samoa, Serbia, Slovenia, Sweden, Turkey, Ukraine and United Arab Emirates have registered to the competition in Sarajevo.
The pre-training camp of the competition was held between June 8 and 18 in the fully equipped and professional boxing gym of the BK Novi Grad with high quality of equipment and professional staff.
Bosnia & Herzegovina’s new event support the preparation of the U19, U17 and U15 boxers and both genders. The Bosnian & Herzegovians are planning to be more active in the international stage of boxing and hosting more events in the upcoming years.
The U15, U17 and U19 boxers have a busy year with their international duties with European and World events in the upcoming months.
The 2008 and 2009 born boxers will be able to compete in the U19 age group which will have World Championships in Budva, Montenegro this October.
Boxers who were born in 2010 and in 2011 are eligible to participate in the U17 part of the competition in Sarajevo. The Olympic Hopes Tournament will prepare these talents to the upcoming European U17 Boxing Championships which will be held in Budva, Montenegro on October 1-11.
The 2012 and 2013 born boxers will be able to participate in the U15 age group and the Olympic Hopes is also a preparation for them to the European Championships.
The facts of the Olympic Hopes Tournament
Name: Olympic Hopes Tournament
Competition Period: June 19-21
Venue: Sarajevo, Bosnia & Herzegovina
Gender: Women & Men
Age Group: U19 & U17 & U15
Date of Birth of the boxers:
U19 – 2008-2009 born boxers
U17 – 2010-2011 born boxers
U15 – 2012-2013 born boxers
The schedule of the Olympic Hopes Tournament
June 8-17 – Pre-training camp of the competition
June 17 – Arrival of the delegations
June 17 – Technical Meeting
June 17 – Official Draw
June 18 – Day1 competition
June 19 – Day2 competition
June 20 – Day3 competition
June 21 – Departure of the delegations
The Hungarians proved a strong quarter-final day at the Grand Prix Usti nad Labem in the Czech Republic today, six of their boxers won their meetings against strong rivals.
Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Montenegro, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Slovakia, Turkey and Wales are competing in Usti nad Labem.
The bout of the day
Slovakia’s Adolf Stanek had a few unexpected wins in the previous two years and the 70kg is the best for his height and physical conditions. The Slovakian boxer did not find the best distance against Germany’s Chukwuka Okah-Ezeokeke and he had a disadvantage on the scorecards. Stanek had the stamina and the strong fighting spirit from the second round to turn back their narrow fight in Usti nad Labem.
The surprise of the day
Wales’ Daniel Pitt bagged a gold medal at the first edition of the U19 World Boxing Championships in Pueblo two years ago and he is one of the top team members in his homeland. The Welsh boy moved down to the 80kg weight category to compete at the Commonwealth Games but his last test was unsuccessful against Germany’s promising Jason Zeller today.
The Round-up
England’s Abdul-Rahman Burton achieved a valuable silver medal at the 2025 European U23 Boxing Championships in Budapest and he earned a gold in another Hungarian event, at the Bocskai Memorial Tournament this March. The English 55kg boxer was too smart and technician for Slovakia’s Tibor Katona and he was better from all of the angles.
Germany’s Omid Ahmadisafa, the ex-Iranian pugilist, stopped Philippines’ Asian U22 Champion Aaron Jude Bado in a rapid contest which was one of the surprises of the first competition day. The veteran boxer had to meet another Asian opponent on Day2, India’s Jadumani Mandengbam, who has been preparing for the Commonwealth Games. Ahmadisafa had energetic attacks in the first round but the technician Indian switched into a higher tempo to win their 55kg meeting today.
Hungary’s Roland Veres, the bronze medallist from the 2022 European Boxing Championships, decided to return from the professional world and he had a tight victory over Germany’s Mohamed Al Manouchi on Day1. The 27-year-old Hungarian looked more confident and followed the instructions to beat and stop Poland’s Oliwier Rogiewicz as second in the quarter-finals of the 60kg.
Hungary’s Laura Horvath moved down to the 51kg weight category in the recent weeks and she claimed a bronze medal at the Belgrade Winner Tournament last month. His opponent, Germany’s Dounia Ifli was competitive in the first round but the 21-year-old Hungarian had better actions from the second to win this quarter-final bout. Her teammates as Hanna Lakotar, Vladislava Kukhta and Luca Hamori all joined the semi-finals.
The Austrians earned several medals and tournament titles in the previous 12 months which showed their impressive progress in many areas especially strength and tactics. Emin Yildiz is their 65kg boxer in the national squad and he won all of the three rounds on the judges’ scorecards against Germany’s Hamza Auragh.
India’s Priya Ghanghas earned a title at the 2025 edition of the Asian U23 Boxing Championships and she was unstoppable also at the Boxam Tournament in Spain and in the Asian Elite Boxing Championships this year. India’s new lightweight sensation used her longer hands well enough to beat Germany’s Ayssa Lopez Martinez and she proved that she is also a gold medal favourite at the forthcoming Commonwealth Games.
Montenegro’s Milos Roganovic impressed in all of his international competitions this year and the 20-year-old boxer also started well in Usti nad Labem on Wednesday. Montenegro’s new sensation met a more experienced boxer from Wales, Orlando Holley-Sotomi who moved down to the 70kg this year. Roganovic looked one size smaller than the Welsh boxer and Holley-Sotomi decided the bout with his uppercuts.
Hungary’s Milan Kiss impressed at the Belgrade Winner Tournament with his bronze medal last month and he had the full control against Czechia’s Viktor Agatelian at the 90kg which means that he is also a medallist in Usti nad Labem. Wales’ Connor Williams, India’s Kapil Pokhariya and Bulgaria’s Roselin Bachevski secured further semi-final places in this weight category.
Montenegro’s Milos Roganovic, Germany’s Omid Ahmadisafa, Hungary’s returning Roland Veres and England’s new super heavyweight sensation Clinton Achusim were the heroes of the Grand Prix Usti nad Labem in Czechia on Day1.
The boxers will use this opportunity to prepare well to the next European Elite Boxing Championships, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games in Usti nad Labem.
Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Montenegro, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Slovakia, Turkey and Wales registered their elite boxers to Usti nad Labem.
The bout of the day
Montenegro’s Milos Roganovic competed in the 2024 edition of the Youth World Boxing Championships but the 20-year-old youngster made an unexpected progress in the recent months. He won the Vllaznia Memorial in Albania and the Belgrade Winner Tournament in Serbia therefore Montenegro’s new pride looked confident against France’s Youth World bronze medallist Djamel Djemmal in their 70kg meeting. The French, who has just won the Portimao Box Cup, was not able to keep the same rhythm in all of the three rounds and Roganovic managed his path to the next stage in Usti nad Labem.
The surprises of the day
Omid Ahmadisafa received the German passport last year and he is very active in the international boxing map to accomplish his Olympic goals. The ex-Iranian boxer had a top opponent at the men’s 55kg weight category first, Philippines’ Asian U22 Champion Aaron Jude Bado but he shocked the Southeast Asian opponent in the first round and the ringside doctor stopped the bout.
England’s Clinton Achusim has just won their National Elite Championships this year but he is inexperienced in the international stage of boxing. The 25-year-old boxer not only kept the rhythm against France’s Olympics bronze medallist Djamili Dini Aboudou Moindze, but his athletic skills were enough to produce the main surprise of the day.
The Round-up
France’s Jeyssa Marcel impressed in the junior and youth competitions in the 2010s and she decided to return to her favourite sport after a break. The French boxer was outstanding in the first round against Germany’s Assia El Fachtali and she still increased her speed in the second. The 19-year-old German is a strong attacker but she could not repeat her previous performance in Usti nad Labem this time.
Slovakia’s Bibiana Lovasova achieved her first European Championships’ medal still as a junior in 2021 and she is now one of the aces of their elite national squad. The 21-year-old Slovakian dominated the first round against Germany’s Anna Klock and she took the lead on the judges’ scorecards. The German boxer proved better performance in the third round but Lovasova won their meeting at the women’s 57kg weight class.
The Czechs have got a fantastic women’s boxing team, their all-time best line-ups this year including European medallists and U19 Champions. Barbora Maxova will be only 20 but she had the strong performance in the first round against Germany’s Victoria Sawazki. The young Czech not only controlled their contest but the referee stopped this 60kg preliminary bout in the second round.
Turkey’s Esra Yildiz Kahraman is one of the stars of the Grand Prix and she is the gold medal favourite at the women’s 57kg. The Turkish boxer spent a lot of time in international training camps this year and she was better seconds by seconds against Germany’s Canan Tas. Turkey’s Olympic medallist was dominant in the third round and she had a comfortable victory in her opener in Usti nad Labem.
Hungary’s Roland Veres achieved a bronze medal at the 2022 edition of the European Elite Boxing in Yerevan and he almost qualified for the Paris Olympics. The Hungarian turned to professional last year but he returned to the Olympic boxing to chase his dream for Los Angeles. Veres had another tall opponent in the Round of 16 at the 60kg, but his routine was enough to beat Germany’s 19-year-old Mohamed Al Manouchi.
The next edition of the four-days long Grand Prix Usti nad Labem will open with its Sport Entries Check, Technical Meeting and Official Draw in the Czech Republic today.
The Grand Prix Usti nad Labem has a strong brand name in the European boxing map and the interest is huge from the National Federations every year.
Czechia hosted the European U19 Boxing Championships last October which was the first continental event for European Boxing and a new milestone.
The event will be starting with its first competition day on this Wednesday, June 17 while the finals will take place in the city of Usti nad Labem on June 20.
The boxers will use this opportunity to prepare well to the next European Elite Boxing Championships, Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.
The World Boxing Cup in China is overlapping the Grand Prix Usti nad Labem but 20 nations have registered to the Czech international event.
Armenia, Australia, Austria, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Italy, Montenegro, Norway, Philippines, Poland, Slovakia, Turkey and Wales are planning to send their elite boxers to Usti nad Labem.
The Grand Prix Usti nad Labem has a bright history and several of the Olympic Champions started their international roads in this event.
The facts of the Grand Prix Usti nad Labem
Name: Grand Prix Usti nad Labem
Competition Period: June 17-20
Venue: Usti nad Labem, Czech Republic
Gender: Women & Men
Age Group: Elite
Date of Birth of the boxers: 1986-2007 born boxers
The weight categories of the Grand Prix Usti nad Labem
Women: 48kg, 51kg, 54kg, 57kg, 60kg, 65kg, 70kg, 75kg, 80kg and +80kg
Men: 50kg, 55kg, 60kg, 65kg, 70kg, 75kg, 80kg, 85kg, 90kg, and +90kg
The schedule of the Grand Prix Usti nad Labem
June 16 – Arrival of the delegations
June 16, 12:00-19:00 – Boxing Entries Check
June 16, 21:00 – Technical Meeting
June 16, 21:30 – Official Draw
June 17 – Day1 competition
June 18 – Day2 competition
June 19 – Day3 competition
June 20 – Day4 competition with the finals
June 21 – Departure of the delegations
Boxers who need to be watched at the Grand Prix Usti nad Labem
- Aira Villegas, Philippines, women’s 51kg – Bronze medallist at the Paris Olympics
- Sakshi Choudhary, India, women’s 51kg – Youth World Champion
- Hatice Akbas, Turkey, women’s 54kg – World Champion
- Preeti Pawar, India, women’s 54kg – Asian Champion
- Esra Yildiz Kahraman, Turkey, women’s 57kg – Bronze medallist at the Olympics
- Bojana Gojkovic, Montenegro, women’s 57kg – Multiple European Champion
- Sthelyne Grosy, France, women’s 57kg – Silver medallist at the 2021 Youth World Championships
- Priya, India, women’s 60kg – Asian Champion
- Ginevra Muzzi, Italy, women’s 60kg – European Youth Champion
- Luca Hamori, Hungary, women’s 65kg – Quarter-finalist at the Paris Olympics
- Viktorie Jilkova, Czech Republic, women’s 65kg – European U19 Champion
- Rosie Eccles, Wales, women’s 70kg – Commonwealth Games winner
- Lovlina Borgohain, India, women’s 75kg – Bronze medallist at the Olympics
- Stella Blazkova, Czech Republic, women’s 80kg – U19 World Champion
- Zsofia Szira, Hungary, women’s +80kg – European U23 Champion
- Ergyunal Sebahtin Sabri, Bulgaria, men’s 50kg – Silver medallist at the European Boxing Championships
- Izaya Gaucher, France, men’s 55kg – European U23 Champion
- Abdul-Rahman Burton, England, men’s 55kg – Silver medallist at the European U23 Boxing Championships
- Mohamed Al Manouchi, Germany, men’s 60kg – Silver medallist at the U19 World Boxing Championships
- Pylyp Akilov, Hungary, men’s 75kg – Bronze medallist at the World Boxing Championships
- Michael Fares Derouiche, Austria, men’s 85kg – Bronze medallist at the World Boxing Championships
- William Cholov, Bulgaria, men’s 85kg – Silver medallist at the European U23 Boxing Championships
- Narek Manasyan, Armenia, men’s 90kg – Silver medallist at the European Boxing Championships
- Teagn Stott, England, men’s 90kg – Silver medallist at the World Boxing Championships
- Djamili-Dini Aboudou Moindze, France, men’s +90kg – Bronze medallist at the Paris Olympics
- Davit Chaloyan, Armenia, men’s +90kg – Silver medallist from the 2021 World Boxing Championships
Azerbaijan’s earned seven out of the thirteen available U17 male gold medals at the 10th edition of the World Junior Nations’ Cup in Vrbas, Serbia but the host country, Kazakhstan and Montenegro also reached titles.
Boxers who were born in 2010 and in 2011 were eligible to participate in the U17 part of the Junior Nations Cup in Vrbas, while athletes from the younger 2012 and 2013 age groups attended for the medals in the U15 level.
The World Junior Nations’ Cup provided a fantastic opportunity for this age group to prepare well to the upcoming European U17 Boxing Championships which will be held in Budva, Montenegro on October 1-11, additionally to Türkiye’s event, the European U15 Boxing Championships as well.
The bout of the day
Serbia’s Andrija Trajkovic and Azerbaijan’s Shukar Aliyev both claimed a bronze medal at the 2024 edition of the European Schoolboys Boxing Championships therefore their final was highly anticipated in Vrbas. The Serbian, who has just moved up to the 80kg weight category, did not underestimate Azerbaijan’s pride, and he kept the focus from the first seconds until the last. Trajkovic underlined in their final that he is in top shape and he claimed the second gold medal for Serbia after Dusan Nekic.
The surprise of the day
Kazakhstan’s second finalist, Sayan Tokhtarbekov faced also a boxer from Azerbaijan, Nihat Mammadli who is another technician talent at the 48kg weight category. Tokhtarbekov, who missed the medal in the latest Kazakhstan U17 Junior National Championships, exceeded his previous level of boxing and he defeated the Azeri hope in Vrbas.
The Round-up
Kazakhstan’s Bekzat Magzhan eliminated Azerbaijan’s Hasrat Mammadov in the first semi-final of the men’s 46kg weight class and he joined the finals in Vrbas. The 16-year-old Kazakh had to meet another boxer from Azerbaijan’s Aydin Shahbazov, but he looked confident from the first exchanges. The Kazakh youngster used his best weapons, excellent counter-attacks and long-distance shots to beat his second rival from Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan’s third finalist in the event, Rustam Nasibov succeeded over Serbia’s David Simic and he had the clear dominance to take his nation’s first gold medal in the World Junior Nations’ Cup. His teammate, Ismayil Nasirzada had an easier way to take the title of the competition as he stopped Bosnia & Herzegovina’s Filip Bukalina in the first round and he bagged the gold medal at the 52kg.
Montenegro’s Strahinja Mrdak is one of their aces in the U17 national squad which has been preparing hard for the European U17 Boxing Championships. Mrdak, who also competed at the Bornemissza Memorial Tournament two weeks ago, was way too smart for Azerbaijan’s Elijan Musazada and Serbia’s Ilhan Sacirovic at the 54kg. The referee counted his Serbian opponent in the final and Mrdak’s skills overmatched his opponent’s one during the fourth session of the event.
Montenegro’s next finalist, Nikola Raicevic claimed a bronze medal at the recent European U17 Boxing Championships in Germany and he can still compete in this age group in 2026 as well. Montenegro’s pride won two out of the three rounds on the judges’ scorecards against Azerbaijan’s Ali Jamalzada and he bagged their second title in Vrbas.
Azerbaijan has an excellent U17 team and their next strong performer, Ali Abbasli, dominated his final against Croatia’s Enzo Stojansek at the 60kg. Another Azeri prodigy, Vakil Gurbanov followed the instructions of his ringside well enough to beat Serbia’s Strahinja Filic at the 63kg weight class.
Azerbaijan’s Yusuf Aghakishiyev is one of the most experienced boxers in their U17 squad with European medals and tournament titles on his bag. Aghakishiyev had a crucial but successful mission against Montenegro’s Veselin Dedic to take the gold medal at the 75kg. His teammate, the powerful Mehran Rasulov earned the last gold medal of the entire event after beating Montenegro’s Vasilije Bugarin by split decision.
Montenegro’s Ema Hot won one of the tightest contests at the 10th edition of the World Nations’ Junior Cup in Vrbas, Serbia during the third session of the event.
Boxers who were born in 2010 and in 2011 are eligible to participate in the U17 part of the Junior Nations Cup in Vrbas, Serbia this year, while athletes from the younger 2012 and 2013 age groups are attending in the U15 level.
The U15 and U17 boxers have a busy year in 2026 and the World Junior Nations’ Cup is another top international event for them.
The World Junior Nations’ Cup provides a fantastic opportunity for this age group to prepare well to the upcoming European U17 Boxing Championships which will be held in Budva, Montenegro on October 1-11, additionally to Türkiye’s event, the European U15 Boxing Championships as well.
The bout of the day
Montenegro has been preparing for the European U17 Boxing Championships with full speed to show their progress on home soil this October. The U17 squad contains strong weapons and their new female hope, Ena Hot, also worked hard to accomplish her next goal in Vrbas. Hot has her boxing idol in her homeland, the Olympian Bojana Gojkovic, and she followed the similar strategy in the event to beat Serbia’s Viktorija Jovic at the 57kg. Hot turned up the heat in the third round and she mobilized all of her leftover power to beat the local Serbian in the top fight of the session.
The surprise of the day
Serbia’s Aksentije Pejic and Vukasin Kljajic both are members of the U15 national squad who had not only a final in the event but a selection bout for the later international actions. Pejic knew after two rounds that he still needs a perfect final period to beat his compatriot and he has done enough to win the 50kg.
The Round-up
Serbia’s Nina Damjanovic competed at the traditional Bornemissza Memorial Tournament in Hungary at the end of May and she was ready to participate in the next international event immediately. The 14-year-old Serbian girl was too smart for Anja Pudja and she controlled all of the three rounds at the 48kg weight class.
England’s Kiyan Iqbal is one of the youngest U15 boxers in the World Junior Nations’ Cup but he amazed in the 37kg weight class in Vrbas. The English boy found the best rhythm against Serbia’s Ostoja Drulovic in the first round and he had the next tournament success during his career.
Montenegro reached several excellent results this year especially in the U17 and the elite competitions but their new U15 talents also shined in Serbia. Nikola Ilic is their next ace in the national team who had a strong strategy to beat Serbia’s Gavrilo Savic at the 57kg weight category, in another hectic fight.
Azerbaijan’s U17 pride, Aydin Shahbazov had the confidence to beat Serbia’s Amar Vehapi in semi-final of the 46kg and he secured his place in the final. Azerbaijan’s technician boxer will be meeting for the gold medal Kazakhstan’s experienced Bekzat Magzhan who eliminated Hasrat Mammadov in a tight contest.
Montenegro’s Strahinja Mrdak also competed at the Bornemissza Memorial Tournament two weeks ago and he was ready to show his skills again without any rest after the Hungarian event. The 16-year-old Montenegrin controlled his semi-final over Azerbaijan’s Eljan Musazada and he delivered one of the top performances in the session.
Invitation Program CBF Ringside Doctor Course Zagreb 2026 V1
European Boxing is pleased to announce the organization of the 2nd European Boxing Ringside Doctor Course, which will take place in Zagreb, Croatia, on 12–13 September 2026.
The course is organized by European Boxing in cooperation with the Hrvatski Boksački Savez – Croatian Boxing Federation and will be hosted at Hotel Diplomat in Zagreb. Arrival date for participants is scheduled for 11 September 2026.
Following the successful first edition, this educational initiative continues European Boxing’s commitment to the development of medical standards, athlete safety, and professional education within Olympic-style boxing across Europe.
The course is specifically designed for medical doctors, both experienced practitioners and newcomers, who wish to expand their knowledge and understanding of the role of the Ringside Doctor in boxing competitions. Participation is open exclusively to National Federations affiliated with European Boxing.
The educational program will be led by Dr. David McDonagh, Chair of the European Boxing Medical Commission and Chair of the Norwegian Boxing Federation Medical Commission, together with Dr. Maksym Maslyanyy, Member of the European Boxing Medical Commission and Chair of the Ukraine Boxing Federation Medical Commission. The course will be coordinated by Prof. Therese Bjørnaas of the Norwegian Boxing Federation.
The two-day program combines theoretical and practical sessions covering key medical aspects related to boxing competitions, including:
* Anti-doping procedures
* Management of cuts and facial injuries
* Concussion recognition and SCAT6 practical applications
* Down boxer practical management
* Fractures and soft tissue injuries
* Injury prevention and nutrition
* Emergency medical situations
* Return-to-boxing protocols and competition regulations
The course will conclude with both written and practical examinations, followed by the awarding of certificates to participants.
Due to the practical nature of the course, participation is limited to 20 attendees. National Federations are kindly reminded that 31 July 2026 is the final registration deadline, and no registrations will be accepted after this date.
European Boxing looks forward to welcoming medical professionals from across Europe to Zagreb for another important educational event focused on athlete health, safety, and medical excellence in boxing.
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Tourist tax: 1,86 € person/night
The next top international event, the Nations Junior Cup will take place in Vrbas, Serbia between June 9 and 15.
Following the successful Belgrade Winner Tournament, the Serbians are ready to host their next international event, the World Junior Nations’ Cup in three weeks.
The 10th edition of the World Juniors Nations’ Cup has re-scheduled from May to June 9-15 to reach maximum number of boxers in the traditional competition.
The U15 and U17 boxers have a busy year in 2026 and the World Junior Nations’ Cup is another top international event for them.
The competition will be held for the U17 and U15 junior girls and boys in the city of Vrbas and it will avoid the overlapping with the Hungarian international event, the Bornemissza Memorial Tournament.
The competition, which has a bright tradition, will start with its first session on June 10 and the finals are scheduled to take in Vrbas place on June 14.
Boxers who were born in 2010 and in 2011 are eligible to participate in the U17 part of the Junior Nations Cup in Vrbas, Serbia this year, while athletes from the younger 2012 and 2013 age groups will compete in the U15 level.
The venue of the Junior Nations Cup is the Drago Jovovic Sports Hall while there are several accommodation options for the participating teams.
The Junior Nations Cup will provide a fantastic opportunity for this age group to prepare well to the upcoming European U17 Boxing Championships which will be held in Budva, Montenegro on October 1-11, additionally to the European U15 Boxing Championships as well.
The facts of the Junior Nations Cup
Name: Junior Nations Cup
Competition Period: June 10-14
Venue: Vrbas, Serbia
Gender: Women & Men
Age Group: U17 & U15
Date of Birth of the boxers:
U17 – 2010-2011 born boxers
U15 – 2012-2013 born boxers
The weight categories of the Junior Nations Cup
Girls U17: 46kg, 48kg, 50kg, 52kg, 54kg, 57kg, 60kg, 63kg, 66kg, 70kg, 75kg, 80kg and +80kg
Boys U17: 46kg, 48kg, 50kg, 52kg, 54kg, 57kg, 60kg, 63kg, 66kg, 70kg, 75kg, 80kg and +80kg
Girls U15: 34kg, 35.5kg, 37kg, 38.5kg, 40kg, 41.5kg, 43kg, 44.5kg, 46kg, 48kg, 50kg, 52kg, 54kg, 56kg, 59kg, 62kg, 65kg, 68kg, 72kg, 76kg and +76kg
Boys U15: 34kg, 35.5kg, 37kg, 38.5kg, 40kg, 41.5kg, 43kg, 44.5kg, 46kg, 48kg, 50kg, 52kg, 54kg, 56kg, 59kg, 62kg, 65kg, 68kg, 72kg, 76kg and +76kg
The schedule of the Junior Nations Cup
June 9 – Arrival of the delegations
June 9, 19:00 – Technical Meeting
June 9, 20:00 – Official Draw
June 10 – Day1 competition
June 11 – Day2 competition
June 12 – Day3 competition
June 13 – Day4 competition
June 14 – Day5 competition with the finals
June 15 – Departure of the delegations
The European Boxing Executive Board has appointed Mr. Martin Volke of Germany as the Secretary General of the continental governing body.
Mr. Martin Volke will lead all the operations of European Boxing as the new Secretary General to achieve the main goals of our continent’s boxing life.
The President of European Boxing Mr. Lars Brovil and the Board made the official announcement about fulfilling the position of the Secretary General today.
The German official will work closely together with the affiliated members of European Boxing, the World Boxing, other Confederations and all of the stakeholders of our sport.
Mr. Martin Volke worked in the management of the German Boxing Federation in the recent 15 years and he supported the operations of European Boxing as the Chairman of the Sports & Competition Commission.
The European Boxing scheduled all of its five European Championships for this year which will be held for both genders and each age group in 2026.
The first European Boxing Championships this year will take place for the U19 boxers in Loznica, Serbia on August 11-22 and the handbook of the competition will be available for all of the National Federations shortly.
The European Women’s and Men’s Elite Boxing Championships will continue the lines of the big events in our continent, and Bulgaria’s capital, Sofia is ready to host that major competition on September 15-26 with a pre-training camp before the start.
Montenegro’s boxing city Budva will welcome all of the boxers from the 2010 and 2011 age groups at the European U17 Boxing Championships on October 1-11 as next.
Turkey’s Trabzon will host the European U15 Boxing Championships on October 14-26 while Croatia’s Porec was announced as the organizer of the European U23 Boxing Championships on November 14-25.