Armenia, Uzbekistan, Israel and Iran shared the gold medals at the Yerevan Mayor Cup which closed with its exciting ten final bouts. Armenia’s 19-year-old Vagharshak Keyan caused the main sensation of the event while the oldest winner of the Yerevan Mayor Cup was the 37-year-old Baregham Harutyunyan.

The total number of boxers was 71 in Armenia’s capital which competition was the last selection for the Armenian boxers before the European Elite Boxing Championships and also for the U23s.

The bout of the day

Armenia’s new sensation at the 65kg, Rafayel Nersesyan competed already in two European Championships as an U17 and U19 boxer and the 20-year-old talent impressed among the elites in the Yerevan Mayor Cup. Nersesyan faced Artur Mkrtchyan in the final of the 2023 edition of the Armenian Youth National Championships, which he lost but this time he made a revenge for that fight, and he earned the well-deserved title of the international event. 

The surprise of the day

Armenia’s Vagharshak Keyan eliminated the European U22 Champion Ruslan Aslikyan in the semi-finals of the men’s 55kg weight class but he was not the favourite against Uzbekistan’s Youth World Champion Shakhzod Muzafarov for the title. The 19-year-old Armenian, who earned a gold medal at the 2023 Junior World Boxing Championships, exceeded all of his previous levels and he defeated such a strong boxer as Muzafarov.

The Round-Up

Armenia’s Baregham Harutyunyan achieved a bronze medal already in the 2008 edition of the National Championships and after 18 years of experience in the elite squad, he is still chasing his dreams. He earned a silver in the last European Boxing Championships two years ago and he used up all of his routines to beat his teammate, Ruben Garboyan to take the title of the 50kg.

Armenia’s experienced Artur Bazeyan eliminated a super talented 20-year-old Uzbek, the Asian Youth Champion Samandar Olimov in the semi-finals of the 60kg which was one of the best contests on Day4. The former European U22 Champion had another hard job in the final against Israel’s Abdallah Rahal, who proved a strong progress in this event, but Bazeyan’s routine was the difference between them.

Harutyun Hakobkokhyan defeated the experienced 27-year-old Armen Mashakaryan in the next final at the men’s 70kg and he has strong chance to represent Armenia in the upcoming main championships. Artush Hovhannisyan, who made his international debut at the 2014 edition of the European Junior Boxing Championships, controlled all of the three rounds against Alik Hovhannisyan in the final of the 80kg.

Israel’s Miroslav Kapuler competed in all of the big events in the recent more than ten years including World Championships and European Championships but he could not qualify to any of the Olympics yet. He is one of the most experienced athletes in the entire competition and he could beat such strong rivals as Armenia’s European Youth silver medallist Aghvan Aleksanyan and Arshak Bablumyan to take the title of the 75kg.

Armenia’s Rafayel Hovhannisyan was a silver medallist at the 2022 European Boxing Championships and the new 85kg is perfect for his physical conditions. He controlled the first round of the final against Poland’s Mateusz Matek and he was able to continue in the same level until the very end of their contest.

Uzbekistan’s defending World Champion and Asian Champion Turabek Khabibullayev not only dominated the exchanges against Armenia’s Davit Simonyan but he stopped his opponent in the first round of the 90kg final. Iran’s Amir Reza Malek Khatabi bagged the last title of the Yerevan Mayor Cup, he was too strong for Ishkhan Hovsepyan at the super heavyweight.