NEWS

Twenty-one boxers progress to quarter-finals across three weight categories at Asian Games

Credit Asian Boxing

Twenty-one boxers advanced to the quarter-finals across the women’s 60kg, men’s 55kg and men’s 90kg divisions on day six of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games on Saturday.

The evening session at Nishio Gymnasium began with China’s Yang Chengyu earning a closely contested 3:2 victory over Thailand’s Punrawee Ruenros in the women’s 60kg division.

The Philippines’ Olympic medallist Nesthy Petecio followed with a strong performance against Jordan’s Mays Alreem Abukhadijah, securing victory by referee-stopped contest in the second round.

Tajikistan’s Mijgona Samadova delivered a commanding 5:0 victory over Pakistan’s Fatima Zahra, while India’s Priya advanced with a unanimous 5:0 win over the Republic of Korea’s Oh Yeonji.

The men’s 55kg division began with Mongolia’s Bilguunsaikhan Kharkhuu earning a 5:0 victory over Bangladesh’s Md Utsob Ahmmed. Thailand’s Kangpi Bokhunthodthen edged Uzbekistan’s Samandar Olimov 3:2 in a closely contested bout.

Jordan’s Huthaifa Eshish continued his Asian Games campaign with a 4:1 victory over Chinese Taipei’s Peng Chia-feng.

Japan’s Rui Yamaguchi then earned a unanimous 5:0 victory in front of the home crowd, defeating Kyrgyzstan’s Zafarbek Shakirzhanovich Kamilov to reach the quarter-finals.

The session concluded with two men’s 90kg contests. Thailand’s Jakkapong Yomkhot defeated Nepal’s Rabin Nepal 5:0 before Bahrain’s Jorge Lobaina closed the evening with a narrow 3:2 victory over Kyrgyzstan’s Bakyt Toktosun Uulu.

In the morning, Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yu-ting edged Kazakhstan’s Viktoriya Grafeyeva by a 3:2 split decision in the women’s 60kg division.

DPR Korea’s Won Un Gyong followed with a first-round referee-stopped-contest victory over Sri Lanka’s Sajeewani Srimali Cooray, with the bout ending after just 28 seconds.

Uzbekistan’s Sitora Turdibekova secured a 5:0 unanimous victory over Vietnam’s Ha Thi Linh, while Mongolia’s Namuun Monkhor advanced with another 5:0 decision against Japan’s Ayaka Taguchi.

In the men’s 55kg division, Kazakhstan’s Makhmud Sabyrkhan produced an impressive performance to defeat Iran’s Mehdi Kazemi 5:0. The Republic of Korea’s Shin Jaeyongadvanced by walkover against Iraq’s Abbas Qasim Hamdan Al Sarray.

China’s Zhang Jiamao recorded a 5:0 unanimous victory over Tajikistan’s Meroj Sufijonov, while the Philippines’ Carlo Paalam progressed with a 3:0 points victory over India’s Jadumani Singh Mandengbam.

The men’s 90kg action saw Kazakhstan’s Nurbek Oralbay advance with a 5:0 victory over Afghanistan’s Silab Noori. India’s Kapil Pokhariya also reached the quarter-finals after defeating Iran’s Sam Estakiby the same margin.

The Republic of Korea’s Kim Gichae closed Session 11 with a knockout victory over Pakistan’s Irfan Khan at the start of the second round.

Competition continues at Nishio Gymnasium as the boxing programme moves closer to the medal stages.

Daily event photos are available here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/202617745@N04/albums/

Daily schedules, draw sheets and results are available here: https://results.asiangames2026.org/#/discipline/BOX

World Boxing will be posting updates throughout on its social media channels:

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/officialworldboxing

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/OfficialWorldBoxing

X – https://x.com/RealWorldBoxing

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-boxing Press release issued by Asian Boxing and adapted by World Boxing.

European champions crowned as Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Ireland, Hungary, Russia, Serbia and Türkiye win golds on final day

Credit European Boxing Federation

The European Elite Boxing Championships concluded in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Friday after nine days of action at the Asics Arena Sports Hall, with over 350 bouts taking place. Boxers from Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Ireland, Hungary, Russia, Serbia and Türkiye claimed the final 14 gold medals.

Six European champions were crowned on Thursday, leaving 14 titles to be decided in Friday’s closing session.

Türkiye’s Olympic silver medallist Hatice Akbas moved down to women’s 51kg for this competition and faced Spain’s World bronze medallist Laura Fuertes in the final. A dominant performance saw Akbas secure gold with a 5:0 unanimous decision.

Serbia’s Sara Cirkovic defeated Türkiye’s World Champion and Olympic silver medallist Buse Naz Cakiroglu and Russia’s Anastasiia Kool en-route to the women’s 54kg final against Finland’s Pihla Kaivo-Oja. The Finnish southpaw held a narrow advantage after two rounds, but Cirkovic finished strongly to secure a 3:2 split-decision victory.

Hungary’s Vladislava Kukhta continued her impressive form against Russia’s Liudmila Vorontsova in the women’s 57kg final. Kukhta’s effective counter-punching helped her secure a 5:0 unanimous decision and Hungary’s only gold medal of the championships.

Serbia’s Kristina Kuluhova and France’s Sthelyne Grosy both impressed on their way to the women’s 60kg final. Kuluhova applied pressure and timed her punches well against Grosy, maintaining her focus until the final bell to claim gold with a 4:1 split decision.

Hungary’s second finalist, Luca Hamori, faced Russia’s Azaliia Amineva in the women’s 65kg division. Amineva delivered a strong performance to secure a 5:0 unanimous victory.

Türkiye’s Tokyo Olympic Champion Busenaz Surmeneli faced England’s Chantelle Reid in the women’s 70kg final. The Turkish boxer added another European title to her collection with a convincing 5:0 unanimous decision.

Ireland’s Aoife O’Rourke defeated Türkiye’s Busra Isildar in the women’s 75kg final, winning by 5:0 unanimous decision. Her victory followed gold for her sister, Lisa O’Rourke, in the women’s 80kg division on Thursday.

Russia’s Viacheslav Rogozin faced England’s Abdul-Rahman Burton in the men’s 55kg final. Burton tried to use his reach advantage, but Rogozin’s speed helped him secure a 5:0 unanimous victory.

Bulgaria’s only finalist, Radoslav Rosenov, faced Ukraine’s Aider Abduraimov in the men’s 60kg title contest. After difficult quarter-final and semi-final bouts, Rosenov delivered a commanding performance, using his counter-attacking skills to claim a 5:0 unanimous victory in front of the home crowd.

Russia’s Sergei Koldenkov completed his successful campaign in the men’s 70kg division with a 5:0 unanimous victory over Azerbaijan’s Nabi Isgandarov.

The men’s 75kg final also brought Russia and Azerbaijan together, but this time Azerbaijan took gold. Saidjamshid Jafarov, who previously represented Uzbekistan, defeated Russia’s Ismail Mutsolgov by 5:0 unanimous decision to become European Champion.

Serbia’s Rastko Simic faced Russia’s Cheerav Ashalaev in the men’s 80kg final. Simic used his reach effectively in the opening round, but Ashalaev increased the tempo in the second and finished strongly in the third to secure a 5:0 unanimous victory.

Spain’s Olympic bronze medallist and top seed Enmanuel Reyes Pla faced Türkiye’s Emrah Yasar in the men’s 90kgfinal. Both boxers showed strong defensive skills in a tactical contest, but Yasar secured the title with a 5:0 unanimous decision.

England’s Commonwealth Games champion Damar Thomas and Russia’s David Surov contested the final bout of the championships in the men’s +90kg division. Thomas held a significant height advantage, forcing Surov to close the distance. The Russian’s pressure paid off as he earned a 3:2 split-decision victory to claim the tournament’s last gold medal.

The championships featured 43 teams, including the World Boxing Refugee Team, alongside Albania, Armenia, Austria, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Denmark, England, Estonia, Finland, France, Georgia, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Kosovo, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Moldova, Montenegro, the Netherlands, North Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Türkiye and Ukraine.

Russia topped the overall medal table with seven golds, five silvers and three bronzes, followed by Türkiye with four golds, one silver and five bronzes. Azerbaijan finished third with two golds, one silver and two bronzes.

Today’s final session got underway at 17:00 local time and included the remaining gold medal bouts and medal ceremonies. All results and additional event information are available at https://bul.xboxing.world/.

The entire competition was livestreamed on https://eurovisionsport.com/en with replays available.

World Boxing will be posting updates for future events on its social media channels:

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/officialworldboxing

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/OfficialWorldBoxing

X – https://x.com/RealWorldBoxing

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-boxing

Press release issued by European Boxing Federation and adapted by World Boxing.

Olympic medallists secure wins on day five of Asian Games boxing

Credit Asian Boxing

Olympic medallists Huang Hsiao-wen and Abdumalik Khalokov were among the winners as 18 boxers reached the quarter-finals on day five of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games on Friday, 25 September.

The two sessions at Nishio Gymnasium featured round of 16 contests across the women’s 54kg, men’s 60kg and men’s +90kg divisions.

Chinese Taipei’s Olympic bronze medallist Huang Hsiao-wen opened Session 9 with a 5:0 unanimous victory over Vietnam’s Vo Thi Kim Anh in the women’s 54kg division.

Japan’s Tsukimi Namiki also progressed with a 5:0 unanimous win over Nepal’s Asmita Duwal, while Thailand’s Natnicha Chongprongklang defeated the Philippines’ Riza Pasuit by the same margin. Uzbekistan’s Nigina Uktamovacompleted the session’s women’s 54kg action with another 5:0 victory, overcoming Tajikistan’s Bibinashastamo Kholova.

Uzbekistan’s Olympic and world champion Abdumalik Khalokov opened his campaign with a 5:0 unanimous victoryover DPR Korea’s O Tae Bom in the men’s 60kg division.

The Philippines’ Junmilardo Ogayre followed with a 5:0 unanimous victory over Nepal’s Khagendra Roka Magar to secure his quarter-final place.

Japan’s Shunsuke Kitamoto delivered another victory for the hosts, defeating Iraq’s Mohammed Sattar Salih Shijlawi5:0. India’s Sachin then overcame Jordan’s Mohammad Abu Jajeh by a 4:1 split decision.

Kyrgyzstan’s Myrzakir Koshaliev closed the opening session with a 3:2 split-decision victory over Turkmenistan’s Dovlet Yslamov in the men’s +90kg division.

China’s Zhao Xuan produced one of the standout results of the evening, defeating Kazakhstan’s Nazym Kyzaibay by a 4:1 split decision in the opening bout of Session 10.

Bhutan’s Kinga Wangmo followed with a 5:0 unanimous victory over Bahrain’s Maryam Khamis, while Mongolia’s Enkhjargal Munguntsetseg edged the Republic of Korea’s Yang Leeyeong by a 3:2 split decision.

DPR Korea’s Pang Chol Mi completed the women’s 54kg action with a 5:0 unanimous victory over India’s Preeti, securing her place in the quarter-finals.

The evening’s men’s 60kg programme began with the Republic of Korea’s Jang Donghwan defeating Kazakhstan’s Orazbek Assylkulov by a 4:1 split decision. Thailand’s Sakda Ruamtham then overcame Iran’s Daniyal Shahbakhshby the same margin.

Afghanistan’s Emal Hamdam continued the action with a 4:1 split-decision victory over Sri Lanka’s Ravindu Jayanath Kumara Gunasila Jayawardhana. Tajikistan’s Akmal Ubaidov then defeated Kyrgyzstan’s Munarbek Seiitbek Uulu by a 3:0 points decision to complete the men’s 60kg quarter-final line-up.

Iran’s Amir Esmaeili Vandaei delivered the day’s only stoppage in the final bout, overcoming the Republic of Korea’s Ju Taeung in the men’s +90kg division. Esmaeili Vandaei led on all five judges’ scorecards after the opening round before the referee stopped the contest at 1:52 of the second round.

Daily event photos are available here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/202617745@N04/albums/

Daily schedules, draw sheets and results are available here: https://results.asiangames2026.org/#/discipline/BOX 

World Boxing will be posting updates throughout on its social media channels:

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/officialworldboxing

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/OfficialWorldBoxing

X – https://x.com/RealWorldBoxing

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-boxing

Press release issued by Asian Boxing and adapted by World Boxing.

Five nations share first six golds at the European Elite Boxing Championships

Credit European Boxing Federation

Azerbaijan, Ireland, Russia, Türkiye and Ukraine shared the first six gold medals at the European Elite Boxing Championships in Sofia on Thursday, 24 September, with Russia claiming two titles during the evening session.

Ukraine’s Hanna Okhota faced Russia’s Iuliia Chumgalakova in the women’s 48kg final. Chumgalakova started strongly to take the lead on the scorecards. The Ukrainian southpaw increased the pressure in the second round, but Chumgalakova remained in control to secure the tournament’s first title with a 5:0 unanimous decision.

Ireland’s Lisa O’Rourke, the 2022 World Champion, continued her impressive campaign at women’s 80kg against Russia’s Anastasiia Demurchian. O’Rourke judged the distance well from the opening bell and maintained her focus throughout to claim gold with a 4:1 split decision.

Türkiye’s Havvanur Kethuda capped an impressive tournament by winning the women’s +80kg title. The teenager controlled the early exchanges against Russia’s Kseniia Olifirenko and did enough to secure gold in a closely contested final, winning by a 3:2 split decision.

Azerbaijan’s European U23 Champion Subhan Mamedov used his counter-attacking style effectively against Russia’s Bair Batlaev in the men’s 50kg final. Mamedov made good use of his reach to secure a 4:1 split decision and Azerbaijan’s first gold medal of the championships.

Ukraine’s Elvin Aliiev claimed the men’s 65kg title after his final against France’s World Boxing Cup winner Hugo Grau was stopped in the first round. An eyelid cut sustained by Grau in his semi-final reopened, prompting the referee to end the contest on medical advice. Aliiev was awarded victory by RSC-I, securing Ukraine’s first gold in Sofia.

France’s second finalist, European U23 Champion Junior Tadah, faced Russia’s Dmitrii Karmanov in the men’s 85kg final. Karmanov secured a 5:0 unanimous decision to deliver Russia’s second gold medal of the evening.

The remaining semi-finals also took place on Thursday. Hungary’s Vladislava Kukhta faced Ireland’s Michaela Walshin the women’s 57kg division after both had overcome strong opponents in the quarter-finals. Kukhta, a World Boxing Cup silver medallist, made a successful start to their tactical contest and maintained her advantage to reach the final with a 4:1 split decision.

Bulgaria’s Radoslav Rosenov had the home crowd behind him for his men’s 60kg semi-final against Spain’s Ewart Andres Marin Hernandez. Rosenov established a lead after two rounds and used his counter-attacking skills as Marin pressed forward in the third, securing his place in the final with a 4:1 split decision.

France’s Sthelyne Grosy, who defeated England’s former World Champion Amy Broadhurst in the quarter-finals, overcame Türkiye’s Gizem Ozer in the women’s 60kg semi-finals. Grosy led on four of the five judges’ scorecards after the opening round before Ozer increased the pressure. Despite the Turkish boxer’s efforts to turn the contest around, Grosy held on for a 3:2 split-decision victory.

Serbia’s European Champion Sara Cirkovic followed her quarter-final victory over Türkiye’s Olympic silver medallist Buse Naz Cakiroglu with another impressive performance against Russia’s Anastasiia Kool. Cirkovic used her long-range boxing effectively to reach the women’s 54kg final with a 5:0 unanimous decision.

Finland’s Pihla Kaivo-Oja secured the other place in the women’s 54kg final after defeating the Czech Republic’s Lenka Bernardova. The Paris Olympic quarter-finalist faced a strong challenge in the second round but finished well to earn a 4:1 split decision, setting up a gold-medal contest against Cirkovic.

Today’s final session will take place at 17:00 local time and will include the remaining gold medal bouts and medal ceremonies. The schedule, live results and additional event information are available at bul.xboxing.world.

The entire competition will be livestreamed on https://eurovisionsport.com/en.

World Boxing will be posting updates throughout on its social media channels:

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/officialworldboxing

Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/OfficialWorldBoxing

X – https://x.com/RealWorldBoxing

LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-boxing

Press release issued by European Boxing Federation and adapted by World Boxing.

WORLD BOXING OPENS REGISTRATION FOR THREE CONTINENTAL REFEREE & JUDGE CERTIFICATION COURSES

World Boxing has opened registration for three Continental Referee and Judge (R&J) Certification Courses, which will take place in Germany and Jordan in December 2026.

The courses are aimed at experienced national-level Referees and Judges seeking to progress to World Boxing Continental certification and are part of the organisation’s work to strengthen consistent, professional officiating standards across its Member Federations.

European course – Leipheim, Germany, 7-13 December.

The European Continental R&J Certification Course will take place in Leipheim, Germany, and is open to eligible candidates nominated by European National Federations.

Participants will arrive on 7 December, followed by the theory component on 8 December and practical sessions from 9–12 December. Departure is scheduled for 13 December.

Asian course – Amman, Jordan, 5-12 December.

The Asian Continental R&J Certification Course will be held in Amman, Jordan, for candidates nominated by Asian National Federations.

Participants will arrive on 5 December, with the theory session taking place on 6 December. Practical assessments will run from 7–11 December, followed by departure on 12 December.

Africa, Oceania and Pan-America course – Amman, Jordan, 10-17 December.

A third Continental R&J Certification Course will also be held in Amman, primarily for candidates nominated by National Federations from Africa, Oceania and Pan-America.

Arrival is scheduled for 10 December, followed by the theory component on 11 December and practical sessions from 12–16 December. Participants will depart on 17 December.

Depending on registrations and available quotas, a limited number of places may also be offered to eligible R&Js from Asia and Europe who are not selected for the first two courses.

National Federations are invited to nominate eligible officials through the World Boxing registration system and are encouraged to carefully review the eligibility requirements before submitting applications.

Candidates must be supported by a World Boxing National Federation, have been certified as a national-level R&J for at least five years, and have officiated at a minimum of five national championships. They must also have a basic level of English sufficient to communicate refereeing commands and counts.

The deadline for applications and submission of all required documentation for all three courses is 30 September 2026 at 23:59 CET.

Following the deadline, World Boxing will review the eligibility of all nominated candidates. Those accepted onto the courses will receive confirmation directly, together with preparatory materials and further information.

Where the number of eligible applications exceeds the available places, candidates may be selected through an official random draw managed by the World Boxing Development Department. A maximum of two R&Js from a single National Federation may be selected, with the second quota place required to be filled by a female R&J.

The certification programme combines theoretical knowledge with practical assessment.

Candidates will complete a knowledge examination based on World Boxing Competition Rules and officiating principles, as well as live judging and refereeing assessments. Judging evaluations will focus on the accurate and consistent scoring of bouts, while refereeing assessments will cover control, safety, command and the correct application of the rules. Professional conduct will also form part of the evaluation.

Candidates must meet the required standards, including an overall R&J evaluation score of at least 80 per cent, to successfully complete the certification process.

All registered candidates are also subject to World Boxing’s vetting process as part of the selection procedure.

The course fee is USD 500 per participant. Participants are responsible for their own flights, visas and accommodation. Further information on accommodation, meals and local transportation will be provided once participation has been confirmed.

National Federations are strongly encouraged to review the full World Boxing Continental R&J Certification Requirements and Eligibility Criteria before nominating candidates.

 World Boxing Continental R&J Certification Requirements and Eligibility Criteria

For further information about the R&J Certification Course programme, please contact officials@worldboxing.org.

China and Uzbekistan lead the way as 22 boxers reach Asian Games quarter-finals

China and Uzbekistan each recorded three victories as 22 boxers reached the quarter-finals across the women’s 51kg and 65kg divisions and men’s 70kg division on day four of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games on Thursday, 24 September.

The two sessions at Nishio Gymnasium featured round of 16 action across all three divisions, with eight boxers advancing at women’s 51kg, six at women’s 65kg and eight at men’s 70kg. The total included one walkover.

China’s Wu Yu opened Session 7 with a 5:0 unanimous victory over Sri Lanka’s Nadeeka Pushpakumari Ranasinghe Arachchige in the women’s 51kg division. Mongolia’s Yesugen Oyuntsetseg also advanced after a third-round stoppage against Pakistan’s Maria, while Uzbekistan’s Feruza Kazakova and DPR Korea’s An Kum Byol secured 5:0 unanimous victories over Thailand’s Chuthamat Raksat and Jordan’s Hanan Nassar, respectively.

The women’s 51kg action continued in the evening session, with Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Tam defeating Chinese Taipei’s Guo Yi-xuan by a 4:1 split decision. The Republic of Korea’s Bak Chorong and Japan’s Yuna Nishinaka also progressed with unanimous victories, while Kazakhstan’s Alua Balkibekova edged India’s Sakshi 3:2 in the division’s closest contest.

Thailand’s Janjaem Suwannapheng began the women’s 65kg action with a 5:0 unanimous victory over Vietnam’s Hoang Ngoc Mai, while Iran’s Sarina Naghsh edged Indonesia’s Huswatun Hasanah by a 3:2 split decision. DPR Korea’s Hwang Hyo Sun also advanced with a 5:0 unanimous decision against Japan’s Mai Kito.

In Session 8, Uzbekistan’s Navbakhor Khamidova defeated the Republic of Korea’s Seon Sujin 5:0, while India’s Parveen progressed by walkover against Tajikistan’s Malika Nozimova. China’s Li Shu completed the women’s 65kg action with a 5:0 unanimous victory over Nepal’s Kusum Tamang.

Kazakhstan’s Torekhan Sabyrkhan opened the men’s 70kg action with a 5:0 unanimous victory over Qatar’s Mohammed Dbichi. Iraq’s Ali Qasim Hamdan Al-Sarray also progressed after his contest against India’s Sumit was stopped due to an injury to the Indian boxer in the third round.

Uzbekistan’s Shavkatjon Boltaev defeated the Republic of Korea’s Kim Joonsu by a 4:1 split decision, while China’s Li Guofeng secured a second-round stoppage against Mongolia’s Byamba-erdene Otgonbaatar to complete Session 7.

The evening’s men’s 70kg action saw Japan’s Sewonrets Okazawa defeat the Philippines’ Norlan Petecio by a 5:0 unanimous decision. Kyrgyzstan’s Ikhtiiar Nishonov recorded the only stoppage of Session 8, defeating Sri Lanka’s Lahiru Lakmal Chandrabandara in the third round.

Tajikistan’s Shamsher Saidov also advanced with a 5:0 unanimous decision against Bahrain’s Aly Abdalla, before Jordan’s Zeyad Eashash completed the men’s 70kg action with a 3:2 split-decision victory over Palestine’s Mohammed Issa.

Competition continues at Nishio Gymnasium as the field narrows and boxers move closer to the medal stages of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games.

Daily event photos are available here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/202617745@N04/albums/

Daily schedules, draw sheets and results are available here: https://results.asiangames2026.org/#/discipline/BOX

World Boxing will be posting updates throughout on its social media channels:

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/officialworldboxing
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/OfficialWorldBoxing
X – https://x.com/RealWorldBoxing
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-boxing

Press release issued by Asian Boxing and adapted by World Boxing.

North Macedonia’s Alen Rustemovski secures historic European medal in Sofia

North Macedonia’s Alen Rustemovski guaranteed a senior European boxing medal on Wednesday, 23 September, while Spain enjoyed three wins from three bouts in the afternoon session of the European Elite Boxing Championships in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Rustemovski defeated Armenia’s Artur Bazeyan by a 4:1 split decision in the men’s 60kg quarter-finals to secure at least bronze. His achievement adds to North Macedonia’s European boxing medal history, following Veli Mumin’s bronze medals in 2006 and 2008. Rustemovski will face Ukraine’s Aider Abduraimov in the semi-finals.

Serbia’s Sara Cirkovic produced one of the day’s biggest upsets in the women’s 54kg division, defeating Türkiye’s Olympic silver medallist Buse Naz Cakiroglu by a 3:2 split decision to reach the semi-finals.

Spain’s Laura Fuertes Fernandez reached the women’s 51kg final after defeating Germany’s Maxi Klötzer by a 3:2 split decision. She will face Türkiye’s Hatice Akbas, who overcame Poland’s Natalia Kuczewska by a 5:0 unanimous decision.

Finland’s Pihla Kaivo-Oja and the Czech Republic’s Lenka Bernardova both secured medals at women’s 54kg. Kaivo-Oja defeated France’s Wassila Lkhadiri 4:1, while Bernardova recorded a 5:0 victory over England’s Lauren Mackie.

France’s Sthelyne Grosy eliminated England’s former world champion Amy Broadhurst by a 4:1 split decision in the women’s 60kg quarter-finals and will face Türkiye’s Gizem Ozer in the semi-finals. Serbia’s Kristina Kuluhova also advanced at 60kg, where she will meet Kosovo’s world bronze medallist Donjeta Sadiku.

Hungary’s Luca Hamori reached the women’s 65kg final after defeating Poland’s Kinga Krowka 4:1. She will face Russia’s Azaliia Amineva, who defeated Armenia’s Elida Kocharyan by a 5:0 unanimous decision.

Türkiye’s Olympic champion Busenaz Surmeneli reached the women’s 70kg final after defeating Russia’s Nadezhda Golubeva by a 3:2 split decision. England’s Chantelle Reid joined her in the final after overcoming Serbia’s Milena Matovic by the same margin.

Bulgaria’s Radoslav Rosenov defeated Russia’s Vsevolod Shumkov 3:2 in the men’s 60kg quarter-finals and will face Spain’s Ewart Andres Marin Hernandez, who edged Ireland’s Jude Gallagher by the same score.

Serbia’s Rastko Simic, Russia’s Chezrav Ashalaev, England’s Oladimeji Shittu and Ukraine’s Pavlo Illiusha all secured medals in the men’s 80kg division.

Spain’s Olympic and world bronze medallist Enmanuel Reyes Pla reached the men’s 90kg final after defeating Georgia’s Georgii Kushitashvili by a 3:2 split decision. He will face Türkiye’s Emrah Yasar, who defeated Germany’s Kevin Lebowski 5:0.

The evening session brought further quarter-final and semi-final action, with more medals guaranteed and places in the finals decided.

Bulgaria’s Rami Kiwan advanced to the men’s 75kg semi-finals after defeating Poland’s Mateusz Urban by a 5:0 unanimous decision. He will face Russia’s Ismail Mutsolgov in the last four.

Ireland’s Michaela Walsh produced another major upset in the women’s 57kg division, eliminating home favourite and former world champion Stanimira Petrova by a 5:0 unanimous decision. Walsh will face Hungary’s Vladislava Kukhtain the semi-finals. Türkiye’s Esra Yildiz Kahraman also advanced at 57kg and will face Russia’s Liudmila Vorontsova.

Ukraine’s Hanna Okhota defeated Türkiye’s Nurselen Yalgettekin 4:1 to reach the women’s 48kg final, where she will meet Russia’s Iulia Chumgalakova.

Türkiye’s Busra Isildar defeated Norway’s Sunniva Hofstad by a 3:2 split decision in the women’s 75kg semi-finals. She will face Ireland’s Aoife O’Rourke, who secured a 4:1 victory over Russia’s Saltanat Medenova.

Ireland’s Lisa O’Rourke joined her sister in the finals after defeating Ukraine’s Iryna Lutsak by a 5:0 unanimous decision in the women’s 80kg semi-finals. She will face Russia’s Anastasiia Demurchian for gold.

Türkiye’s Havvanur Kethuda also reached the women’s +80kg final after stopping Poland’s Elzbieta Wojcik. She will face Russia’s Ksenia Olifirenko.

Azerbaijan’s Subhan Mamedov advanced to the men’s 50kg final after defeating Türkiye’s Samet Gumus by a 3:2 split decision and will meet Russia’s Bair Batlaev.

France’s Hugo Grau defeated Finland’s Ismail Umar 4:1 in the men’s 65kg semi-finals and will face Ukraine’s Elvin Aliiev for gold. Russia’s Sergei Koldenkov also reached the men’s 70kg final, where he will meet Azerbaijan’s Nabi Isgandarov.

France’s Junior Tadah defeated Austria’s Michael Fares Derouiche by a 4:1 split decision to reach the men’s 85kg final, where he will face Russia’s Dmitrii Karmanov. England’s Commonwealth Games champion Damar Thomas and Russia’s David Surov will contest the men’s +90kg final.

Today’s two sessions will take place at 13:30 and 18:00 local time. The schedule, live results and additional event information are available at bul.xboxing.world.

The entire competition will be livestreamed on https://eurovisionsport.com/en.

World Boxing will be posting updates throughout on its social media channels:

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/officialworldboxing
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/OfficialWorldBoxing
X – https://x.com/RealWorldBoxing
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-boxing

Press release issued by European Boxing Federation and adapted by World Boxing.

Nineteen athletes advance on day three of Asian Games boxing

Nineteen boxers progressed across the men’s 60kg and 80kg divisions on day three of the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games on Wednesday, 23 September.

The two sessions at Nishio Gymnasium featured 12 men’s 60kg round of 32 bouts and seven men’s 80kg round of 16 contests.

DPR Korea’s O Tae Bom opened Session 5 with a 5:0 unanimous victory over Saudi Arabia’s Ziyad Ali S Majrashi in the men’s 60kg division. Nepal’s Khagendra Roka Magar followed with another unanimous decision, defeating Macau’s Alvin John Reyes Salinas 5:0.

The Philippines’ Junmilardo Ogayre came through the closest contest of the opening session, edging Mongolia’s Lundaa Gantumur by a 3:2 split decision. Japan’s Shunsuke Kitamoto then secured a victory for the hosts, defeating China’s Chen Xinlin by a 5:0 unanimous decision.

Iraq’s Mohammed Sattar Salih Shijlawi also advanced with a 5:0 victory over Bahrain’s Omar Budhahei, before Jordan’s Mohammad Abu Jajeh completed the session’s men’s 60kg action with a unanimous 5:0 decision against Bhutan’s Kinley.

The men’s 80kg round of 16 then got underway, with Sri Lanka’s Mohommed Usaith Yazmin defeating Cambodia’s Anvar Nasredinov by a 4:1 split decision. India’s Ankush followed with a commanding 5:0 victory over Bahrain’s Hamsa Vogel, with all five judges awarding the Indian boxer a 30–27 score.

Tajikistan’s Nekruz Salimov completed Session 5 with a 5:0 unanimous victory over Turkmenistan’s Abdyrahman Yklymov, joining Yazmin and Ankush in the quarter-finals.

The evening session began with the Republic of Korea’s Jang Donghwan securing a 4:1 split-decision victory over Chinese Taipei’s Lin Jun-you in the men’s 60kg division. Iran’s Daniyal Shahbakhsh followed with a 5:0 unanimous decision against Indonesia’s Asri Udin, while Thailand’s Sakda Ruamtham defeated Bangladesh’s Md Salim Hossainby the same margin.

Sri Lanka’s Gunasila Jayawardhana K Ravindu Jayanath Kumara edged Turkmenistan’s Dovlet Muhanov by a 3:2 split decision in another closely contested men’s 60kg bout. Afghanistan’s Emal Hamdam then secured a 5:0 unanimous victory over Qatar’s Mohamed Alfagay, before Tajikistan’s Akmal Ubaidov completed the division’s action with a 5:0 decision against Laos’ Souliya Khammy.

Attention then returned to the men’s 80kg round of 16, where the Republic of Korea’s Kim Minseong advanced after a closely contested 3:2 split-decision victory over Kazakhstan’s Sabirzhan Akkalykov.

Indonesia’s Maikhel Roberrd Muskita produced a strong performance against Japan’s Kai Toriyabe, earning a 5:0 unanimous decision to secure his place in the quarter-finals. China’s Wang Xiaobao also advanced with a 5:0 unanimous victory over Thailand’s Weerapon Jongjoho.

Jordan’s Hussein Iashaish closed Session 6 with a 3:0 points victory over Kyrgyzstan’s Omurbek Bekzhigit Uulu. Three judges scored the contest in favour of Iashaish, while two returned even scores, sending the Jordanian through to the men’s 80kg quarter-finals.

Competition continues at Nishio Gymnasium as boxers at the Aichi-Nagoya 2026 Asian Games progress towards the medal stages.

Daily event photos are available here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/202617745@N04/albums/

Daily schedules, draw sheets and results are available here: https://results.asiangames2026.org/#/discipline/BOX

World Boxing will be posting updates throughout on its social media channels:

Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/officialworldboxing
Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/OfficialWorldBoxing
X – https://x.com/RealWorldBoxing
LinkedIn – https://www.linkedin.com/company/world-boxing

Press release issued by Asian Boxing and adapted by World Boxing.