National boxer Havvanur Kethüda sets world title goal after European triumph

Nineteen-year-old Havvanur Kethüda, who won the gold medal in the women’s +80 kg division at the 2026 European Boxing Championships in Bulgaria, said she aims to become a senior world champion and compete in the Olympics.

Scraper SystemSeptember 30, 2026, 02:39 PM

National boxer Havvanur Kethüda sets world title goal after European triumph

Nineteen-year-old Havvanur Kethüda, who won the gold medal in the women’s +80 kg division at the 2026 European Boxing Championships in Bulgaria, has set her sights on becoming a senior world champion and competing in the Olympics.

She took up boxing at the urging of her family and coaches

Kethüda played basketball until she was 16, then switched to boxing at the urging of her family and coaches. The national boxer said she initially skipped training sessions and thought she would not be able to pursue the sport, but her achievements over time made her more committed to boxing.

After winning the Turkish championship, Kethüda became a European champion in the youth category and later joined the Trabzon Türkiye Olympic Preparation Center. The athlete achieved significant results in the junior category and also won titles at the Turkish, European and world junior championships in 2024.

Recalling that period, Kethüda said, “I had our National Anthem played. I said, ‘I will pursue this sport.’”

Gold medal at her first senior championship

Kethüda, who won the Turkish and World Cup championships in the youth category this year, competed in the European Championships in the senior category for the first time. She faced opponents from Ukraine, Poland and Russia in three bouts during the 12-day event and became European champion.

Kethüda said her toughest opponent was the Polish boxer, explaining that she lost her first bout but won the second by knockout. The young athlete said President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan called her by phone after the championship and that the conversation made her very happy.

Her goal is a world title and the Olympics

Stating that she always wants to win gold medals in the period ahead, Kethüda said, “My primary goal is to become a senior world champion. I also have an Olympic goal. God willing, I want to return to my country with a gold medal every time in the period ahead.”

Çat: We are also targeting gold at the World Championships

Muhammet Çat, a coach at the Türkiye Olympic Preparation Center and the women’s national boxing team, said they had prepared well for the European Championships. Çat said that despite her youth and lack of experience, Kethüda had put in a confident performance against her opponents.

Çat said Kethüda would be seeded at next year’s World Championships in Kazakhstan following her European title, adding that this would provide a significant advantage. He said they aim for Kethüda to win gold at the World Championships by making good use of the six- to seven-month preparation period ahead.

National boxer Havvanur Kethüda sets world title goal after European triumph