18 Asian Boxers Set for World Boxing U19 Championship Finals as Continent Secures 28 Medals

Asian boxing will have a strong presence in today’s finals of the 2026 World Boxing U19 Championships, with 18 athletes from six Asian nations competing for gold medals following an impressive series of semifinal performances on 25 October.

With 18 finalists guaranteed at least silver medals and another 10 boxers securing bronze, Asia has already confirmed a total of 28 medals ahead of the championship’s final day.

Uzbekistan leads the Asian contingent with six finalists, followed by Kazakhstan and China with four each, India with two, and Japan and Iran with one representative each.

The semifinal stage produced several outstanding performances from Asian athletes, including a series of unanimous decisions and closely contested victories.

Uzbekistan’s Suhrob Rakhmatullaev delivered a dominant performance in the men’s 75kg semifinal, defeating Ireland’s Jason Whelan 5:0. He will now face Iran’s Mohammad Saleh Mesbahi, who also secured a unanimous 5:0 victory over England’s Kobe Clarke, setting up an all-Asian final in the division.

Uzbekistan’s Asadbek Sultanboev advanced to the men’s 90kg final following the disqualification of England’s Albe Dowell in the second round, while compatriot Islam Salikhov secured a convincing 5:0 victory over Ukraine’s Volodymyr Derkach in the men’s 90+kg category.

In the women’s divisions, Uzbekistan’s Maftuna Yangieva defeated Algeria’s Hanane Kainane Daouadji 5:0 in the 70kg semifinal, while Nazokat Mardonova overcame Kazakhstan’s Madira Zhumakan by the same margin in the 51kg category.

Kazakhstan’s Bibarys Ashirbay secured his place in the men’s 70kg final after defeating Uzbekistan’s Zulfikor Adkhamjonov 4:1. Alina Kudaigenova also progressed following a closely contested 3:2 victory over China’s Yaruo Zheng in the women’s 57kg division.

China enjoyed a successful semifinal campaign, with Shengjie Gong recording a commanding 5:0 victory over Canada’s Emilie Derasp in the women’s 75kg division, while Yeerasili Ashan defeated Italy’s Tiberio Nocadello 4:1 in the men’s 80kg category.

Sirui Yang advanced to the women’s 54kg final after a narrow 3:2 victory over the United States’ Guadalupe Ruiz, while Shasha Wang defeated Kazakhstan’s Indira Kydyrmoldayeva 3:1 in the women’s 60kg semifinal.

India will have two representatives competing for gold. Aditya Aditya secured a unanimous 5:0 victory over Azerbaijan’s Nihat Gasimov in the men’s 55kg division, while Megha Sheokand advanced in the women’s 80kg category following a second-round referee-stopped contest against Kyrgyzstan’s Meerim Chynybekova.

Japan’s Hiyori Miki also progressed to the final after defeating Uzbekistan’s Mukhtasar Alieva 5:0 in the women’s 48kg division.

The semifinal stage additionally confirmed 10 bronze medals for Asian athletes, with Kazakhstan collecting four, Uzbekistan and India securing two each, and China and Kyrgyzstan earning one apiece.

Today’s championship finals will be contested across two sessions, beginning at 14:00 and 18:00, with Asian athletes competing in 17 of the 20 gold medal contests.

The men’s 75kg final between Uzbekistan and Iran guarantees Asia at least one gold medal, while the remaining finalists will face opponents from across the international boxing community.

With 28 medals already secured, the championship represents another significant achievement for Asia’s emerging generation of Olympic-style boxers and highlights the continued development of young talent across the continent.