Scandal at the Strandja Cup: Manasyan Defeated Despite Clear Advantage

Armenian boxer Narek Manasyan (90 kg) lost to Bulgaria’s Roselin Bachevski by split decision (2:3) in his opening bout at the Strandja Cup 2026 in Sofia.

After three rounds, the judges’ opinions differed dramatically. Two judges from Brazil and Kazakhstan scored the bout 30:26 in favor of Manasyan, which in professional terms indicates an almost one-sided advantage. However, three other judges from Serbia, Ukraine, and Wales awarded the victory to the local boxer with a score of 29:28.

The fight featured a large number of clinches initiated by the Bulgarian boxer. Bachevski frequently avoided active exchanges, for which the referee deducted one point from him. Nevertheless, even with the penalty point, he was ahead 29:28 on three judges’ scorecards. In the event of a 28:28 tie, considering the deducted point, the victory was still awarded to the boxer from whom the point had been deducted.

The decision raised questions given the stark differences in the judges’ scoring and the overall nature of the bout.

Other Results of Armenian Boxers

On the first day of the tournament, two more Armenian representatives entered the ring — and both secured victories.

Rudolf Garboyan (50 kg) defeated Rasul Arslanov (Turkmenistan) by unanimous decision and advanced to the quarterfinals. His next opponent will be Bilalkhabashi Nazarov (Azerbaijan).

Harutyun Hakobkokhyan (70 kg) won by split decision against Kelvin Sokess (Czech Republic) and progressed to the Round of 16. In his next bout, he will face Lavant Brownlee (USA).

Two more Armenian boxers will compete in the evening session:

60 kg: Artur Bazeyan (Armenia) — Adam Hession (Israel)
75 kg: Marat Mikaelyan (Armenia) — Stelian Strahilov (Bulgaria)

The Strandja Cup is traditionally considered one of the most prestigious international tournaments in amateur boxing, and this year’s competition has already begun with loud and controversial decisions.