DOHA: The curtain came down on the eighth Katara Boxing Championship in Doha on Saturday following three days of competition marked by strong attendance and record participation.
Organised by the Qatar Boxing and Wrestling Federation (QBWF), the event featured amateur and professional bouts. The amateur competition was held over the first two days, with around 65 boxers competing across open, youth and junior categories. Fighters from 15 Qatari clubs and a team from Lebanon took part in 10 weight divisions.
The professional bouts were staged on the final evening, featuring six contests that showcased high technical and tactical standards. World champions competed for Asian and world titles sanctioned by the World Boxing Council (WBC), as well as the Diamond Belt.
In the opening bout, Russia’s Kerim Khan Kerimkhanov defeated Lebanon’s Abdulwahab Mashareqi on points after a closely fought contest. Fellow Russian Ruslan Satiev followed with a second-round knockout victory over Azerbaijan’s Bairam Shammadov.
The third bout went the distance, with Philippine boxer Jadalie Carolina Medeiros beating Iran’s Shirin Shabani on points after eight rounds. Algerian Idriss Labidi then secured a second-round knockout win over Indonesia’s Rivo Rengkung, before Iran’s Sajad Sattari stopped Thailand’s Kaonar in the second round.
In the final bout of the night, Russian Ali Aliev claimed a points victory over American Chip Moraza-Pollard after a competitive fight.
Speaking to Qatar News Agency, QBWF president Sheikh Fahad bin Khalid Al-Thani said the championship brought together all age categories, including preparatory, junior, youth and elite professional levels. He said the amateur competitions involved 15 local clubs and a Lebanese team competing for 26 gold medals across 10 weight divisions.
Sheikh Fahad added that the final day featured world-ranked fighters contesting Asian and world WBC titles, as well as the Diamond Belt, describing the championship as a key fixture on the federation’s calendar.
He said QBWF is committed to staging the event annually to identify new talent for national teams across age groups, while providing clubs and academies with opportunities to gain experience and raise their competitive standards.
Sheikh Fahad noted that participation this year surpassed previous editions, with increased involvement from clubs and academies across Qatar and the inclusion of Lebanon’s team.
He said the federation’s strategy focuses on organising more events to develop boxers, coaches, clubs and training centres, with the aim of expanding the talent pool and attracting young athletes to represent Qatar at all levels.
