Al-Azebi and Qabi defended their thrones in the Saudi Arabian Junior National Championships

The Saudi Arabian Junior National Championships was held in Riyadh where the final stage of the event was held in a four-day long competition. Ahmad Turki Yehya, Mohammed Al-Azebi, Issa Al-Faifi, Mohammed Al-Bishi, Hassan Qabi and Mohammed Jaber Haqawi proved the best performances in their main junior event.
Riyadh is the capital city of the country and after the Open National Championships their boxing officials could host the Junior National Championships. Young boxers who were born in 2001 and 2002 were eligible to compete in the Saudi Arabian Junior National Championships in Riyadh.
Team of Riyadh city claimed six gold medals in the Saudi Arabian Junior National Championships and topped the team rankings. Oqaz has got one of the best boxing team in Saudi Arabia but this time their boxers took only two titles in the Junior National Championships. Damak also won two gold medals in the event in Riyadh while the last eleventh title was taken by the Al Taraji team.
Saudi Arabia is planning to send 4-6 young boxers to the ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships to Davao City, Philippines which will be taking place in August 1-8. Their planned participation would be a historical step to develop their young talents and Saudi Arabia’s first ever appearance in the ASBC Asian Confederation Junior Boxing Championships.
Cuba’s former Olympic Champion Mr. Esquirol Maikro Romero is the new coach in the Saudi Arabian Boxing Federation which is guaranty to the development. Romero was member of the Cuban national boxing team between 1994 and 2001 and he claimed gold medal in the Atlanta 1996 Olympic Games and in the Budapest 1997 AIBA World Boxing Championships.
The first gold medal of the event went to Riyadh’s Ahmad Turki Yehya who defeated Oqaz boxer Ali Hamed Iryani in the final of the pinweight (46kg). Riyadh’s Mohammed Al-Azebi arrived to the competition as titleholder of the event and following he moved up one category he was able to win his second junior national title after beating Damak’s Abdelrahman Qabi in the gold medal bout of the light flyweight (48kg).
Mohammed Bandar Al-Aiyaf claimed the first gold medal for the Oqaz team at the flyweight (50kg) where he was too smart for Damak’s Ali Al-Mouhsin. Oqaz’s second gold medal was achieved by Schoolboys National Champion Issa Jaber Al-Faifi who came from a boxing family and proved genetically strong style in the final of the light bantamweight (52kg) which he was won by unanimous decision against Riyadh’s Schoolboys National Champion 15-year-old Zeyad Moujirshi.
Riyadh’s Mohammed Al-Bishi has got also family members who tried several sports therefore his success at the bantamweight (54kg) over Saeed Housen was not a surprise. The sixth gold medal of the Saudi Arabian Junior National Championships was earned by Al Taraji’s Ali Habib who defeated Damak’s Schoolboys National Champion Ahmad Ayash in the final of the featherweight (57kg).
Damak’s first gold medal was achieved by 16-year-old Hassan Qabi who is their previous silver medallist Abdelrahman Qabi’s brother. Hassan won the gold medal at the featherweight (57kg) in the Saudi Arabian Junior National Championships one year ago and now he was able to win his second title after beating Al Taraji’s Housen Al-Mahrak in the final of the lightweight (60kg).
Riyadh’s 16-year-old Mohammed Bandar Mubarak achieved silver medal in the last edition of the Saudi Arabian Junior National Championships but this time he was able to get the title of the welterweight (66kg) in Riyadh following his great performance against Maccah’s Mohamed Hazazi.
Riyadh’s next two titles were delivered by Fahis Dousari at the light middleweight (70kg) and Mohsen Moujirshi at the middleweight (75kg). Damak’s second gold medal was achieved by Mohammed Jaber Haqawi who dominated his final fight over Al Taraji’s Ahmad Al-Aswad at the heavyweight (+80kg).

List of the winners in the Saudi Arabian Junior National Championships
46kg: Ahmad Turki Yehya
48kg: Mohammed Al-Azebi
50kg: Mohammed Bandar Al-Aiyaf
52kg: Issa Jaber Al-Faifi
54kg: Mohammed Al-Bishi
57kg: Ali Habib
60kg: Hassan Qabi
66kg: Mohammed Bandar Mubarak
70kg: Fahis Dousari
75kg: Mohsen Moujirshi
+80kg: Mohammed Jaber Haqawi