Valeria Andreeva will throw the first punches of the European Boxing Championship in Sofia, stepping into Ring A at the Asics Arena at 13:30 on the opening day of competition. Gong reports that the Bulgarian boxer has been selected to fight first in the tournament.
Andreeva, competing in the under-65 kilogram category, will face Croatia's Sara Beram in what Gong describes as the first bout of the entire championship. It is her debut at this level. The European Boxing Championships are the continent's top annual amateur boxing event and a key path toward Olympic qualification.
Two Bulgarian debutants on opening day
Bulgaria's schedule at the Asics Arena does not end with Andreeva. The evening session will bring fellow debutant Blagovest Nedelchev into action against North Macedonia's Alim Nasufi in the under-70 kilogram category. That bout is set to begin around 19:30, according to Gong.
Home crowd, home capital
Sofia is hosting what Gong calls the most important European tournament of the year, and both Bulgarian representatives on opening day are first-timers at this stage of competition. Bulgarian fans who want to attend in person can find tickets through the Kupibileti.bg network.
Whether Andreeva and Nedelchev advance past their opening opponents, September 17th is the date on which both will make their debuts at the European Championships.
