23 September 2026 · 3 min read
Omar Ghawadra won the men’s 67kg division, Emaan Khan claimed Under-17 female gold and Tijhaan Ajram won her match in the Under-15 female category during an important weekend for amateur boxing in the UAE.
The UAE National Boxing Championships brought the country’s amateur boxing community together on 19 and 20 September 2026, providing athletes with the opportunity to test themselves on a national stage. Across the weekend, boxers demonstrated the discipline, courage and composure required to represent their clubs inside the ring. Beyond the individual results, the championships offered another positive indication of the talent developing throughout the UAE’s amateur boxing system. Among the weekend’s confirmed winners were Omar Ghawadra, Emaan Khan and Tijhaan Ajram.
Omar Ghawadra Wins Men’s 67kg Division
Omar Ghawadra secured victory in the men’s 67kg category, adding an important national result to his boxing journey. Competing at national level demands more than technical ability. Fighters must manage the pressure of the occasion, adapt during the contest and remain composed when the outcome is at stake. Ghawadra’s victory reflected the preparation and competitive discipline required to succeed against the country’s leading amateur boxers in his weight division.
Khan Claims Under-17 Gold
Emaan Khan was crowned UAE National Champion after winning gold in the Under-17 female category. The result marked an important achievement in her young boxing journey and reflected the work completed away from competition, the training sessions, discipline and mental preparation that take place long before a boxer enters the ring. At 15, Emaan continues to develop her identity as a composed and focused athlete. Her national title represents progress, while also creating a platform from which she can continue learning and competing. For any young boxer, winning is only one part of development. The greater challenge is to remain disciplined after success and return to the gym ready to improve again.
Ajram Wins Under-15 Category
Tijhaan Ajram also recorded another important victory, winning her bout in the Under-15 female category at the UAE Nationals keeping her undefeated title at the age of 14. Known for her explosive and fearless approach, Tijhaan demonstrated the confidence to perform on the national stage and secure another significant result in her development. Her victory provides further evidence of the potential emerging within the UAE’s younger female boxing divisions. With the right coaching, competition and long-term support, athletes such as Ajram can become part of a stronger future for women’s boxing in the country. Khan and Ajram have different styles and personalities inside the ring, but their results came from the same foundations: commitment, resilience and the willingness to test themselves in competition.
Building the Amateur Pathway
National championships play a critical role in the development of any boxing nation. They give athletes meaningful competitive experience, allow coaches to assess progress under pressure and provide officials with the opportunity to maintain consistent standards across the sport. Most importantly, they give boxers something clear to work towards. Not every athlete will become a professional boxer or international champion. However, every competitor benefits from the discipline, self-belief and resilience developed through preparing for national competition. The coaches, clubs, officials, families and supporters behind these athletes are therefore an essential part of every result. The moments celebrated inside the ring are made possible by months of work taking place throughout the UAE’s boxing gyms.
A Positive Step for Female Boxing
The victories of Emaan and Tijhaan underline the importance of continuing to encourage female participation. Women’s boxing cannot grow without young girls being given opportunities to train, compete and see other female athletes succeeding. Participation at youth level creates the depth required to establish stronger national divisions in the future. More girls in boxing today means stronger women’s divisions tomorrow. That growth should be encouraged by celebrating the athletes already competing, supporting the coaches developing them and helping more clubs and families create pathways for girls who want to enter the sport.
The Future Is Already in the Ring
The UAE Boxing Federation, participating clubs, coaches and officials deserve recognition for providing athletes with a national platform on which to compete and develop. For Omar Ghawadra, Emaan Khan and Tijhaan Ajram, the weekend ended with victory. Their next challenge begins when they return to training. For UAE boxing, their success represents something broader: evidence of the talent developing across men’s and women’s divisions and throughout different stages of the amateur pathway. The future of UAE boxing is not something still waiting to arrive. It is already stepping into the ring.