Armenian Boxers Defeat Turkish and Azerbaijani Rivals, Advance to Finals

Two Armenian boxers are set to compete in the finals of the Under-22 European Championships. In the semifinals held in Croatia, Ruslan Aslikyan and Arthur Shakhbazyan faced off against Turkish and Azerbaijani boxers in consecutive matches on the same ring.

Ruslan Aslikyan, competing in the 57 kg category, celebrated a beautiful victory over Turkish boxer Tahir Akoyun. Although the judges gave the first round 4:1 in favor of his opponent, Aslikyan changed his strategy in the second and third rounds, turning the fight around. His performance in the third round was particularly impressive, as he came close to a knockout victory.

Arthur Shakhbazyan, competing in the 63.5 kg category, also achieved a remarkable victory against Azerbaijani Jalal Gurbano. In the first round, Shakhbazyan landed a strong left hook, prompting the referee to start the count against his opponent. Quickly realizing his mistake, Shakhbazyan adapted by limiting his opponent’s left-side strikes as advised by his coaches. In the second round, he took the initiative, landing more punches while his opponent merely tried to evade or hold on.

As a result, Shakhbazyan won the second round 4:1. In the decisive third round, he ramped up the pressure and celebrated a significant victory. Thus, Armenia now has two participants in the finals. In women’s competition, Elida Kocharyan has secured a bronze medal in the 60 kg category.