Budva, Montenegro, 16 October 2026 — The World Boxing U19 World Championships officially opened in Budva with a ceremony welcoming young athletes, National Federation delegations, officials and guests from across the international boxing community.
The second edition of the Championships will run until 27 October at the Mediterranean Sports Centre. The opening programme featured a parade of participating teams, the National Anthem of Montenegro, official addresses and a musical performance, marking the start of eleven days of international youth boxing.
Competition will be contested across ten men’s and ten women’s weight categories under the official slogan, “Future Stars. One World”.
Among those addressing the ceremony were Alexander Klemenko, President of the Boxing Association of Montenegro; Dusan Simonovic, President of the Montenegrin Olympic Committee; Zoran Jojic, Minister of Sports and Youth; Nikola Jovanovic, President of the Municipality of Budva.
A message from World Boxing President Gennadiy Golovkin was delivered during the ceremony by World Boxing Technical Delegate Michael Norford. In his message, President Golovkin focused on the role of youth and grassroots development in shaping the future of boxing. “To all the young athletes competing here in Budva, welcome to the World Boxing U19 World Championships. This is an important stage in your development and an opportunity to test yourselves against some of the best young boxers from around the world.”
“Youth and grassroots boxing are the foundation of our sport. We want young athletes to have the opportunity to develop, compete in a safe and fair environment and see how far boxing can take them. I wish every athlete the very best and hope you enjoy this experience.”
President Golovkin will join the Championships in Budva for the closing stages, where he will support the finalists and meet athletes, officials and members of the World Boxing community.
Minister of Sports and Youth Zoran Jojic spoke about the value of international youth sport and the opportunity for young athletes to compete, develop and build lasting connections through sport. “It is a great pleasure to welcome young athletes from around the world to Montenegro. This Championship is not only about competition, but also about friendship, respect and the experiences that young athletes will carry with them throughout their sporting careers. I wish everyone a successful Championship and a memorable stay in Budva.”
President of the Boxing Association of Montenegro Alexander Klemenko reflected on the significance of hosting another major international youth boxing event in the country.
“We are proud to welcome the World Boxing family to Budva. Hosting the World Boxing U19 World Championships is a great honour for Montenegro and for our boxing community. We hope every athlete has the opportunity to compete at their best, enjoy the experience and leave Budva with positive memories.”
President of the Montenegrin Olympic Committee Dusan Simonovic also addressed the athletes and delegations, underlining the importance of youth development and international competition within the wider Olympic movement. President of the Municipality of Budva Nikola Jovanovic welcomed participants to the host city and noted the importance of major international sporting events in bringing athletes and communities together.
Budva edition of the World Boxing U19 World Championships is a second one following the inaugural competition held in Colorado, USA, in 2024. Montenegro also brings recent experience of staging international youth boxing, having hosted the European Championships for athletes under the age of 17 shortly before this event.
Competition begins on 16 October, with preliminary bouts continuing across the following days before the semi-finals on 25 October and the finals on 27 October, when the 2026 World Boxing U19 World Champions will be crowned.
All bouts from the World Boxing U19 World Championships will be available to watch live and on demand on WorldBoxing.TV.