Tashkent: Uzbekistan has reaffirmed its position as Asia’s leading boxing nation after delivering a commanding performance at the 2026 Asian Boxing U19 and U23 Championships in Jakarta, Indonesia.
The Uzbek team finished first in the overall medal standings with 33 medals, including 21 gold, six silver and six bronze. Uzbekistan won 11 gold medals in the U19 competition and another 10 in the U23 category, claiming more than half of the 40 titles contested at the championship.
Uzbekistan’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Alisher Tukhtaev, welcomed the achievement in a message shared in Islamabad. “Uzbekistan is once again at the pinnacle of Asian boxing! I sincerely congratulate our athletes, coaches, and the entire people of Uzbekistan on this magnificent triumph,” the ambassador said. Tukhtaev currently represents Uzbekistan as ambassador in Islamabad. ([Embassy of Uzbekistan][2])
The continental tournament was staged in Jakarta from July 3 to 16 and brought together 329 athletes representing 20 countries. Boxers competed in ten weight divisions across four categories: U19 men, U19 women, U23 men and U23 women. Preliminary bouts were followed by quarterfinals and semifinals, with the women’s finals held on July 15 and the men’s title bouts concluding the championship on July 16.
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Uzbekistan’s U19 men were particularly dominant, winning seven of the ten available titles. The country’s young women also produced impressive performances, while the U23 men’s and women’s teams secured ten combined gold medals.
Among Uzbekistan’s leading champions were Utkizbek Nozkosimov, Elyor Rustamov, Muhammadrizo Ukimov, Ilkhomjon Ergashev, Abdulloh Madaminov, Mushtariybonu Ibrokhimjon, Sevinch Khurramova and Rukhshona Parpieva.
Kazakhstan and India provided the strongest competition during the tournament, while Japan, South Korea, Indonesia and Chinese Taipei were among the other countries to win major bouts and medals. Uzbekistan nevertheless maintained its advantage throughout the championship and finished clearly ahead of its continental rivals.
The result is important because U19 and U23 championships provide a pathway from junior boxing to elite international competition. Leading performers are expected to progress towards senior Asian championships, world tournaments and future Olympic Games.
Uzbekistan’s success also demonstrates the depth of a boxing system that has already achieved major results at the highest level. Uzbek fighters won five of the seven men’s boxing gold medals at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, establishing the country as the dominant force in Olympic men’s boxing.
The Jakarta triumph suggests that a new generation is ready to continue that tradition and keep Uzbekistan at the summit of Asian and international boxing.
