55th Golden Gong boxing tournament opens in Skopje

The 55th edition of the international boxing tournament Golden Gong opens on 13 November 2026 in Skopje. The event is being held in the Rasadnik sports hall in the Kisela Voda neighborhood and is one of North Macedonia's longest-running boxing competitions.

Organizers registered 89 boxers representing 20 countries this year. The opening day's schedule on 13 November begins at 14:00 with quarterfinal bouts; a total of 25 fights are on the card for today.

Among the Macedonian entrants is Maria Kostovska, who will fight Ukraine's Iryna Lustak in the 75–80 kg category.

Semifinal matches are set for 14 November 2026 with a 14:00 start, while the tournament final will be held on Sunday, 15 November 2026, starting at 17:00.

Last year's champion, Alen Rustemovski, will not defend his Golden Gong title because he is scheduled to compete at the European U23 Boxing Championships in Poreč, Croatia. His brother, Ruzdi, will also take part in that continental event.

The Golden Gong remains a key fixture on the regional amateur boxing calendar and this year's international field continues the tournament's long tradition of drawing strong competitors from across Europe and beyond.

Photo: press material from the event