Iraq to hold youth boxing clubs championship in Sulaymaniyah in September

BAGHDAD, Iraq — The Iraqi Boxing Federation will host an inter-club championship for youth and junior categories in Sulaymaniyah in September, federation president Ali Takhleef said. He said the event will bring together boxers from clubs across several cities, with bouts contested in all approved weight divisions across both age categories. Takhleef described age-category championships as a core element of the federation's development program, aimed at identifying and training talent. According to the federation, the Sulaymaniyah tournament is part of a series of competitions designed to revive local competition and raise Iraq's technical boxing standards. The federation president added that hosting the event in Sulaymaniyah would strengthen coordination between city-level clubs and help surface athletes who could later join national teams. He thanked the Iraqi Olympic Committee for its material and moral support. Takhleef also noted that the federation has faced financial difficulties because its budget allocations have not been transferred for the past three years.