Dream finals will be held at the Strandja Memorial Tournament today
The dream finals will be held at the 76th edition of the Strandja Memorial Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria today.
The Strandja Memorial Tournament is Bulgaria’s main international competition and the oldest elite event worldwide therefore such strong nations as Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, China, Chinese Taipei, England, France, Ireland, Italy, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Turkey, Bulgaria and many others are there.
The men’s minimumweight (48kg) is a strong category in Sofia where Uzbekistan’s new teenage sensation Bekhruz Kholdorov eliminated another top boxer. He was too smart for Georgia’s European Champion Sakhil Alakhverdovi on Day4 and he defeated Ireland’s Louis Rooney in the semi-finals.
Uzbekistan’s reigning ASBC Asian Elite Champion at the flyweight (51kg), Asilbek Jalilov had a surprise loss to Turkey’s Samet Gumus but Kazakhstan’s Daniyal Sabit advanced to the final with strong performance against Azerbaijan’s Nijat Huseynov.
Uzbekistan’s Shakhzod Muzaffarov was Youth World Champion in 2021 and he spent the last four years in several international tournaments to develop his all aspects of boxing. The Uzbek stopped Kosovo’s Bashkim Bajoku and he will now meet Kazakhstan’s Timur Kabdeshov in the final of the bantamweight (54kg).
Uzbekistan’s Khujanazar Nortojiyev is another new young sensation in the elite national team who started with a national title in 2025. The 21-year-old featherweight (57kg) boxer defeated another gold medal favourite in the semi-finals, Kazakhstan’s Orazbek Assylkulov and he will now meet for the title, Azerbaijan’s Zalimkhan Suleymanov.
Kazakhstan’s World silver medallist Serik Temirzhanov was fantastic at the lightweight (60kg) semi-final and he will have a dream final with Bulgaria’s Radoslav Rosenov in Sofia. A Kazakh final will be held at the light welterweight (63.5kg) between Yertugan Zeinullinov and Mukhammedsabyr Bazarbay Uulu.
Another Kazakhstan vs. Kazakhstan battle will take place at the light middleweight (71kg) between the three-time World bronze medallist Ablaikhan Zhussupov and Farrukh Tokhtassynov. Further Kazakhs such as the Youth World Champion Torekhan Sabyrkhan (67kg), Sabyrzhan Akkalykov (75kg) and Timur Nurseitov (75kg) won their tough semi-finals in Sofia.
Kazakhstan’s Bekzad Nurdauletov eliminated Israel’s Yan Zak at the cruiserweight (86kg) and he will now meet another star, Nurbek Oralbay for the gold medal. Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian U22 Champion Jakhongir Zokirov lost to Kazakhstan’s Aibek Oralbay in Chiang Mai three months ago but they will have a repeat match at the super heavyweight (+92kg).
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