On April 24 in Moscow, on the day of remembrance for the victims of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire, an intense match took place between undefeated Armenian boxer Yuri Sakunts (16-0) and Azerbaijani Zabekh Shamiev (3-7). Sakunts confidently won by technical knockout in the second round and claimed the Shamo Boxing championship belt.
From the very first seconds of the fight, Sakunts demonstrated total dominance: in the first round, he controlled the ring, pushing his opponent to the brink of a knockdown. In the second round, after a powerful series of punches by the Armenian fighter, the referee stopped the bout, recording a win by technical knockout.
After the fight, Yuri Sakunts emphasized the symbolic meaning of his victory:
“On April 24 in Moscow, I defeated an Azerbaijani. This victory is for me, for my people, and for all of Armenia,” he stated.