The 77th Strandja International Tournament, held in Sofia, Bulgaria, has concluded, and the Uzbekistan boxing team finished the competition with a truly bright, meaningful, and proud result. The fact that 11 boxers from our team reached the final stage showed how strong Uzbek boxing participated in this tournament. In the end, this trust was fully justified in practice.
The first joy of the day came through Sabina Bobokulova in the -48 kg weight category. Our compatriot, who entered the ring against Ukrainian Anna Okhota, clearly showed her superiority throughout the fight and, with a convincing victory of 5:0, started the gold medal series for our team. This victory was not only the result, but also a powerful emotional impetus for the entire final day.
Soon after, Nigina Uktamova, competing in the -57 kg weight category, also spoke. In the decisive match against Ireland's Michaela Walsh, Nigina continued her winning habit throughout the tournament and didn't lose herself in the final. In a fierce and intense clash, he won the next championship with a score of 3:2.
In the -65 kg weight category, Navbahor Hamidova also performed confidently in the final. In the fight against Laura Yesenkeldi from Kazakhstan, she accurately executed the plan given by the coaching staff, correctly assessed the situation, and secured a beautiful, absolutely dominant victory with a score of 5:0. Thus, another gold medal for our team was awarded to Hamidova.
In the -75 kg category, Aziza Zakirova also delighted the fans. The final against Australian representative Emma Sue Greentree was not easy, and the opponent also showed serious resistance. But at the decisive moment, Aziza acted more precisely and calmly. As a result, he won with a score of 5:0, giving Uzbekistan another championship.
Unfortunately, the expected final match in the -51 kg weight category was not held. Feruza Kazakova was unable to participate in the decisive match due to injury, and the victory went to the host athlete Zlatislava Chukanova. This was undoubtedly one of the most unpleasant and painful events of the day. As soon as Feruza reached the final, she had already demonstrated her strong form.
In the +80 kg weight category, Oltinoy Sotimboyeva also competed for the championship. She stepped into the ring against Valeria Akhenova from Kazakhstan and showed a worthy fight. However, this time she lacked some luck, and she lost 0-5. Despite this, Oltinoy finished the competition as vice-champion, adding a valuable silver medal to the team's tally.
The men's finals were opened by Fazliddin Erkinboyev in the -75 kg weight category. In a clash against Rami Kiwan of the hosts, he left no chance for the opponent. In the final, Fazliddin demonstrated a high level of skill, strong pressure, and a high level of confidence, achieving an absolute victory with a score of 5:0.
In the -80 kg weight category, the final ended somewhat unsuccessfully for Javokhir Ummataliyev. The fight against the Ukrainian representative was very interesting and intense. Our compatriot fought until the end, but the opponent slightly prevailed in the decisive points, and Javokhir lost 2:3. With this, she finished the tournament with a silver medal.
In the -85 kg weight category, Akmaljon Isroilov once again demonstrated the strength of Uzbek boxing. Against Ukrainian Matviyi Rajba, he demonstrated his own style - pressure, strong, and determined boxing. As a result, he secured a convincing 5-0 victory and won the championship.
In the -90 kg weight category, Turabek Khabibullayev also clearly showed his superiority in the final. In the match against the representative of Ukraine, Bogdan Tolmachov, he proved that he is stronger than his opponent in all respects. In the end, an absolute victory was recorded with a score of 5:0, and Turabek also won the gold medal.
In the +90 kg weight category, Ozodbek Aliyev showed a worthy resistance in the decisive fight against British Damar Thomas. Our young boxer was active throughout the fight, but this time it was not enough for victory. She lost the match 0-5 and finished the competition as vice-champion.
Thus, the Uzbekistan national boxing team finished the 77th Strandja International Tournament in Bulgaria with 7 gold, 4 silver, and 6 bronze medals. The fact that 11 boxers reached the finals, most of them won the championship, and the overall medal count clearly demonstrated our team's dominant participation in this competition.
In short, the flag of Uzbekistan was raised high again in the Sofia ring. This result is not just a collection of medals - it is another proof that Uzbek boxing is now one of the strongest schools both in the region and in the international arena.
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