Armenia Announces Squad for 2026 U19 World Boxing Championships in Montenegro

The 2026 U19 World Boxing Championships will take place from October 14 to 27 in Budva, Montenegro. Armenia will be represented by nine athletes — eight male boxers and one female boxer. The team will be led by head coach Karen Aghamalyan.

The competition will be held at the Mediterranean Sports Center. The opening bouts are scheduled for October 16, while the finals will take place on October 27.

Armenia's Squad for the 2026 U19 World Boxing Championships

Men (8 boxers):

• 55 kg: Hayk Karapetyan
• 60 kg: Artur Avetisyan
• 65 kg: Gor Harutyunyan
• 70 kg: Artyom Stepanyan
• 75 kg: Alen Stepanyan
• 80 kg: Samvel Siramargyan
• 85 kg: Mikael Gyulumyan
• 90 kg: Vardan Avetisyan

Armenia will not have representatives in the 50 kg and over 90 kg weight categories.

Women (1 boxer):

- 48 kg: Amest Afrikyan

Coaching staff:

• Head coach: Karen Aghamalyan

• Coaches: Nver Vardanyan and Arman Harutyunyan

Karen Aghamalyan: "Expectations Are High, but the Ring Will Show Everything"

Armenia head coach Karen Aghamalyan explained why the national team will not compete with a full squad at the World Championships, despite having athletes available in every weight category.

"The World Championships are at a different level compared to the European Championships. We decided that two of our boxers are not yet ready to compete at a tournament of this level. We have high expectations for the team, and all the athletes are prepared, but the ring will show everything," the coach said.

Aghamalyan also emphasized that five members of the current squad will be competing at their final major tournament in the youth age category.

"We have five boxers who will be competing at youth level for the last time. They must do everything possible to finish this stage of their careers on a high note. We need to forget about the 13 medals we won at the European Championships in Yerevan. Now we face the World Championships, where athletes from 60 countries will compete," the head coach stated.

Armenia Aims to Bounce Back After Disappointing European Championships

Armenia's youth boxing team has experienced mixed results on the international stage in recent years.

At the 2025 U19 European Boxing Championships in Yerevan, Armenian boxers won 13 medals across all 13 men's weight categories — four gold, five silver and four bronze. It was one of the national team's most successful performances at youth level.

However, at the U19 European Championships in August 2026, Armenia managed to win just one bronze medal.

Ahead of the upcoming World Championships, the national team's squad has undergone significant changes. The coaching staff will now have an opportunity to assess the revamped team's potential against the world's strongest young boxers.