The final part of the quarter-finals took place in the fifth competition day at the 77th edition of the Strandja Trophy Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria today. The host Bulgarians and the Ukrainians delivered sensational victories among the European nations and both of these teams have several guaranteed medallists in Sofia.
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
Yordan Hernandez Morejon bagged a gold medal at the 2014 edition of the Youth World Boxing Championships in Sofia, representing Team Cuba. He switched to Bulgaria in the recent years and he became one of the best European super heavyweight boxers. Hernandez felt the support of the home crowd against United States’ powerful Kelvin Watts and he needed the full focus until the very end of their quarter-final to take the 3:2 split decision victory.
The surprise of the day
Ukraine’s Siyovush Mukhammadiyev competed in several international events in the recent three years and he had a fantastic game play today against a top opponent. Mongolia’s Aldarkhishig Battulga was a medallist in the last World Boxing Championships but the Ukrainian prepared well against him with strong strategy. Battulga was fast but Mukhammadiyev responded to all of his actions with perfect punches and the Ukrainian joined the last four at the 50kg.
The Round-Up
Uzbekistan’s Asilbek Jalilov is the defending Asian Champion and he had a strong game play today in the quarter-finals of the men’s 50kg. The 22-year-old Uzbek used his longer hands to catch Georgia’s Goga Topuria and he secured his place in the last four with one of his best performances.
Kazakhstan’s Daniyal Sabit claimed a silver medal at the 2021 edition of the Asian Boxing Championships at the age of 19 and he spent the recent five years to develop himself in all aspects of boxing. The Kazakh 50kg boxer controlled the first and second rounds against Turkey’s Ulas Yalcinkaya and his opponent’s ringside abandoned the fight in the third.
Ukraine’s Maksym Zymenko robbed into the world of boxing only last year with his energetic style of boxing and he demonstrated his technical skills in the quarter-finals of the 55kg in Sofia as well. The Ukrainian found the best distance against Azerbaijan’s Zidan Humbatov in the first round and he kept the control until the last gong today.
Lorenzo Patricio is one of the top talents in the United States and the teenager moved up to the 55kg with quick adaptation to the category. The 19-year-old boxer impressed first at the 2024 edition of the U19 World Boxing Championships and he proved his strong progress against one of the Uzbek talents, Samandar Olimov in the quarter-finals.
Mongolia’s Bilguunsaikhan Kharkhuu was born in a boxing family, his elder brothers were also medallists in the level of the Asian Championships. The youngest in the family had the strong will to join the semi-finals at the 55kg and he succeeded over one of the best Kazakh talents, Baglan Kenzhibek.
Bulgaria’s sensation, Radoslav Rosenov set up a new record last November when he won his fourth-in-a-row title in the European U23 Boxing Championships. The Paris Olympian is one of the aces in the entire Strandja Tournament and he had the technical superiority against Mongolia’s Buyandalai Bayarkhuu at the 60kg.
Ukraine’s Aider Abduraimov achieved a gold medal at the 2022 edition of the European Youth Boxing Championships in Sofia and he returned to the city as a favourite at the 60kg. The Paris Olympian started better than Azerbaijan’s Mahammadali Ashiraliyev and he was able to keep the same strong rhythm until the last gong.
Ukraine’s Elvin Aliyev bagged the title at the Boxam Tournament in La Nucia in his opener this year and he is absolutely top shape in Bulgaria as well. His today’s challenge, Romania’s Arun Nicu Tudoroiu stopped his German rival in the Round of 16 yesterday, but he was not able to repeat that surprise success. Aliyev moved ahead without any stoppage and after the strong first round, the referee stopped their 65kg contest in the second.
Romania arrived to the Strandja Trophy with a huge delegation and their young hope, Alexandru Buleu marched into the semi-finals at the 75kg. The Romanian found Turkmenistan’s Elite National Cup winner Yhlas Bagtyyarov’s weak points in the first round and he became a medallist in Sofia.
Bulgaria’s European Champion Rami Kiwan saved a lot of fuel today for the later actions against his younger teammate, Sami Khalil but as usual, he dominated his contest in Sofia. Another powerful Bulgarian, the current European U23 silver medallist William Cholov kept the full focus against Belgium’s Noa Hadjit to secure a guaranteed medal in the front of the home crowd.
Germany has strong traditions in the heaviest weight category and their European U23 Champion Nikita Putilov dictated the tempo against Ukraine’s Andrii Khaletskyi from the first seconds. The 22-year-old German dominated the first round with heavy punches and he stopped the Ukrainian in the second with one his remarkable performances.