The oldest European competition, the 77th edition of the Strandja Memorial Tournament opened with 56 preliminary bouts in Sofia, Bulgaria today.
The President of the Bulgarian Boxing Federation, Mr. Krasimir Ininski welcomed all of the teams in the Opening Ceremony of the Strandja Memorial Tournament.
The next edition of the European Elite Boxing Championships will also take place in Sofia on September 15-26 in 2026.
The bout of the day
Brazil’s Michael Trindade is member of their national team since 2021 and he competed already in levels of boxing including the Olympic Games. The Brazilian was not enough shape in the first round against the US teenager, Lorenzo Juanito Patricio and his opponent had the advantage on the judges’ scorecards. Trindade returned to the business in the second round but the US youngster mobilized all of his remaining power to beat the Brazilian with an exceptional final period.
The surprises of the day
Ireland’s Thady Patsy Joyce earned a bronze medal at the recent World Boxing Championships and he was named as one of the favourites in the men’s 55kg weight category. The Irish boy did not find the best fighting distance against Kazakhstan’s Timur Kabdeshov and he was in trouble on the judges’ scorecards after two rounds. The 25-year-old Kazakh attacked in the last round well enough and he eliminated one of the best Irish elite male boxers in Sofia.
Bulgaria’s Roselin Bachevski competed in the 2024 Youth World Championships and the 2025 European U19 Boxing Championships but the 19-year-old boxer exceeded all of the expectations on Day1. Armenia’s European silver medallist Narek Manasyan used his routine in the first round well enough but Bachevski had the stamina to turn it back with teenage enthusiasm.
The Round-Up
Uzbekistan’s Asilbek Jalilov, the defending Asian Champion, opened his campaign in the Strandja Memorial Tournament in the first bout of the entire event. The 23-year-old boxer had a competitive rival in the preliminary stage, Kazakhstan’s Bekzat Aldamzharov but he had the better punches in the exchanges.
Mongolia’s Aldarkhishig Battulga claimed a silver medal at the recent World Boxing Championships in Liverpool and he has been preparing for the upcoming Asian Championships. The Mongolian had an experienced rival as first, Bulgaria’s European silver medallist Ergyunal Sebahtin Sabri but he used his distance well enough to win their 50kg preliminary bout.
Georgia’s Gor Ayvazyan had a fantastic junior and youth career and despite his age of 20, he has already seven years of international routine. The young Georgian found the best fighting distance in the first round immediately against Turkey’s Semih Gumus and he remained dominant in all of the exchanges.
The Mongolians have been preparing hard to the upcoming Asian Boxing Championships which will be held in Ulaanbaatar on their home soil. Following Aldarkhishig Battulga’s success at the 50kg, their Bilguunsaikhan Kharkhuu continued their winning path after beating Ukraine’s Oleh Chulyacheyev at the 55kg.
Germany’s new 70kg boxer, Randy Botikali joined the national team only last year and he used his left-handed jabs effectively to beat Kosovo’s southpaw Shpetim Bajoku on Day1. His teammate at the 90kg, Vitalij Walter also managed to beat his first rival in Sofia, a local boy, Stoyan Petrov by points decision.
Turkmenistan’s Asian Games bronze medallist Bayramdurdy Nurmuhammedov achieved historic results from his country in the recent three years but he had the disadvantage on the scorecards against Egypt’s Ahmed Hekal after the first round. Turkmenistan’s No.1 stepped into the gas in time to beat the talented Egyptian and the 23-year-old marched to the next round at the men’s 70kg.
Uzbekistan’s Youth World Champion Abdulaziz Jurakulov joined the elite age group only this January but the 18-year-old talent proved his huge future potential in the first round against Kazakhstan’s Mukhammedsabyr Bazarbay Uulu. The Paris Olympian Kazakh worked better and better throughout the rounds and he had to do his very best and a great finish to beat the Uzbek teenager at the 70kg.
Azerbaijan’s Mahammadali Ashiraliyev opened the first round better than Italy’s Michele Baldassi and he had the advantages on the judges’ scorecards. The Italian caught the 19-year-old Azeri boxer in the second round with jabs but Ashiraliyev had the strong heart and fighting spirit in the third to win their tight 60kg meeting by 3:2 split decision.
Kazakhstan’s Ruslan Kuzeubayev, the former Asian Junior Champion, was more experienced than United States’ new national team member, Salim Ellis-Bay but he did not find the best weapon against the younger opponent. The US boy had excellent defensive skills and his counter-attacks guaranteed his success over a strong Asian rival.
Brazil’s Luiz Gabriel Oliveira is one of the aces in the men’s 60kg weight category and he used all of his skills against Azerbaijan’s Mahammadali Gasimzada in their meeting. The Azeri boxer was smaller and he had some powerful attacks but Oliveira controlled this preliminary bout in all of the three rounds.
Wales’ Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Owain Harris-Allan decided to continue his career in the national team and he looked so experienced in his opening bout against Turkey’s Tolga Kaya. The Welsh boy was a hard target for the Turkish boxer and his first and third rounds decided their preliminary bout at the 60kg.
Italy’s Gabriele Guidi Rontani started his international career with a silver medal at the 2022 edition of the European Youth Boxing Championships. That event was held in Sofia and the Italian returned to Bulgaria after four years as a member of the elite national team. He had some difficulties against Georgia’s Giorgi Natroshvili but his strong physical skills and strong finish decided this 70kg bout.
Italy’s next young talent in action was Christian Sarsilli, who used his technical skills and footwork to keep Turkmenistan’s Yazmyrat Babishev on long successfully. Another strong 80kg boxer, Austria’s Lucky Aimufua was better in the exchanges than Turkey’s Emre Parlak and he also secured his place in the last 16.
Radoslav Rosenov is not only Bulgaria’s star but one of the best boxers in the European continent and he bowed out of his way, his first opponent, Azerbaijan’s Taghi Nasibov today. The multiple European Champion Bulgarian had unpredictable movements and he used his tricky style of boxing to win his first bout in the Strandja Memorial.