Record number of 43 nations registered to the Strandja Memorial Tournament

The new 70th edition of the Strandja Memorial Tournament is Europe’s most difficult elite competition which will be even stronger than in 2018. Incredible 43 nations registered to attend in the Strandja Memorial Tournament and the quality will be also world class. Altogether eight AIBA World Champions are planning to take part and Ukraine’s No.1 Oleksandr Khyzhniak returns in the Strandja Memorial Tournament.

The competition for the women’s and men’s elite boxers will be held in Sofia, Bulgaria where the local organizers are expecting 120 women and 240 men athletes following the registrations. The total number of 360 boxer means the upcoming Strandja Memorial Tournament will be small World Championships in Sofia.

Facts of the event

• Name: Strandja Memorial Tournament
• Date: February 13-20, 2019
• Venue: Sofia, Bulgaria
• Gender: Women & Men
• Weight categories: 8 women and 10 men weight classes
• Age Group: Elite

Schedule of the event

• February 13 – Arrivals to the event
• February 14 – General weigh-in, Official Draw
• February 14 – Day1 competition
• February 14, 17:00 – Official Opening Ceremony
• February 15 – Day2 competition
• February 16 – Day3 competition
• February 17 – Day4 competition
• February 18 – Day5 competition with the semi-finals
• February 19 – Day6 competition with the finals
• February 20 – Departure of the delegations

History of the event

The first edition of the Strandja Memorial Tournament was held in Sofia in 1950 when all of the winners were boxers from the host nation. Following a few difficult period in the competition the Bulgarian Boxing Federation decided to raise the level of the event in the recent 10 years. The women elite boxers also added to the program of the Strandja Memorial Tournament still back in 2011.

Further Bulgarian cities besides to Sofia such as Yambol, Plovdiv, Pleven, Pazardjik and Gabrovo also hosted the Strandja Memorial Tournament in the recent two decades but the event returned to their capital city in 2012.

The last 69th edition of the Strandja Memorial Tournament was the main international AOB event in February which was held in the Bulgarian capital in Sofia where 93 women and 143 men boxers attended in the event from 30 countries. Bulgaria became the most successful nation with their seven gold medals but Finland, United States of America, India, China, Russia, Ukraine and Kazakhstan each achieved at least one title in the prestigious Strandja Memorial Tournament.

Participating countries in the event

The following 43 nations are taking part in the event: Albania, Argentina, Australia, Azerbaijan, Belarus, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Chinese Taipei, Croatia, Czech Republic, England, Finland, France, Georgia, Greece, India, Italy, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, North Macedonia, Moldova, Morocco, Netherlands, Norway, Panama, Philippines, Poland, Romania, Russia, Scotland, Serbia, Somalia, Sweden, Switzerland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine, United States of America, Uzbekistan and Wales

Participating Confederations: Africa (AFBC), Asia (ASBC), America (AMBC), Europe (EUBC), Oceania (OCBC)

Boxers who need to be watched in the event

• Josie Gabuco, Philippines, women’s 48kg – AIBA Women’s World Champion in 2012
• Heaven Garcia, United States of America, women’s 51kg – AIBA Women’s Youth World Champion in 2018
• Stanimira Petrova, Bulgaria, women’s 57kg – AIBA Women’s World Champion in 2014, two-time EUBC European Women’s Champion
• Sonia Lather Singh, India, women’s 57kg – Silver medallist in the Astana 2016 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships
• Alessia Mesiano, Italy, women’s 57kg – AIBA Women’s World Champion in 2016
• Mira Potkonen, Finland, women’s 60kg – Defending EUBC European Women’s Champion, bronze medallist in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games
• Beatriz Iasmin Ferreira, Brazil, women’s 60kg – Two-time AMBC American Women’s Champion
• Chen Nien Chin, Chinese Taipei, women’s elite 69kg – Defending AIBA Women’s World Champion, Rio 2016 Olympian, AIBA Women’s Junior World Champion
• Atheyna Bylon, Panama, women’s 69kg – AIBA Women’s World Champion in 2014
• Amit Panghal, India, men’s 49kg – Asian Games winner in 2018
• Daniel Asenov, Bulgaria, men’s 52kg – Two-time EUBC European Champion
• Vasilii Egorov, Russia, men’s 52kg – Two-time EUBC European Champion
• Kayrat Yeraliyev, Kazakhstan, men’s 56kg – AIBA World Champion in 2017
• Elvin Mamishzada, Azerbaijan, men’s 56kg – AIBA World Champion in 2015
• Duke Ragan, United States of America, men’s 56kg – Silver medallist in the Hamburg 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships
• Tugrulhan Erdemir, Turkey, men’s 64kg – AIBA Youth World Champion in 2016, EUBC European Youth Champion in 2017
• Lorenzo Sotomayor, Azerbaijan, men’s 69kg – Silver medallist in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games
• Ablaikhan Zhussupov, Kazakhstan, men’s 69kg – Bronze medallist in the Hamburg 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships, Youth Olympic Games winner in 2014
• Bobo-Usmon Boturov, Uzbekistan, men’s 69kg – Asian Games winner in 2018
• Oleksandr Khyzhniak, Ukraine, men’s 75kg – AIBA World Champion in 2017, EUBC European Champion in 2017
• Keno Marley Machado, Brazil, men’s 81kg – Youth Olympic Games winner in 2018
• Vassiliy Levit, Kazakhstan, men’s 91kg – Silver medallist in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games, three-time ASBC Asian Champion
• Sanjar Tursunov, Uzbekistan, men’s 91kg – Bronze medallist in the Hamburg 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships
• Richard Torrez Jr., United States of America, men’s +91kg – Winner of the 2018 Chemistry Cup, Bronze medallist in the St. Petersburg 2016 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships