The Astelena fronton in Eibar hosted the traditional Sanjuanes Boxing Gala last Friday, an event that now surpasses a quarter-century of history and continues to be a benchmark for combat sports in the city. This year's edition, under the name III Memorial 'Tigre de Amaña', brought together hundreds of fans to enjoy a night of amateur boxing, sanda bouts, and a neoprofessional fight.
The gala, organized by the TTATT gym in Eibar with the collaboration of the City Council, featured a program comprising four amateur boxing matches (one female), one neoprofessional bout, and three sanda contests, a combat modality of Wushu.
A key focus was the participation of Eibar athletes. In amateur boxing, Amer Agbalou, trained by Montxo Quina at the TTATT gym, had his second career fight. The young Eibar native faced Unai Navas in the 85 kg category in a closely contested bout. Agbalou showed notable improvement, though the judges awarded the victory on points to the boxer from Bilbao. The TTATT gym highlighted the local fighter's sporting growth and future potential.
The amateur card also included a women's duel between Xena Barbudo (Euskobox of Vitoria) and Ane Andikoetxea (Bilbao), as well as bouts between Ekaitz and Imanol García (70 kg) and Iker Santos and Beñat Aguirre (65 kg).
Another highlight was the neoprofessional fight between Ignacio Mendoza (Vitoria) and Adrián Martín (Bilbao). This category, considered the antechamber to professionalism, returned to the Astelena thanks to the organization's commitment to raising the event's standard.
In the sanda competition, TTATT again had significant local representation. Ion Leal delivered one of the best performances of the night, defeating Alex Negre (Castellón) in a comprehensive bout. Yago Domínguez also impressed against Manu Caro.
The III City of Eibar Wushu Cup concluded with a match between Eibar's own Gorka Agirregomezkorta and Ramón Herrera, representing the Ronig Eibar club, showcasing the growth of combat martial arts in the city.
At the end of the gala, the TTATT gym expressed gratitude to all participating athletes, sponsors, and the public. Special recognition was given to the Eibar City Council for its continued support of an event that keeps alive the legacy of José Pérez, 'Tigre de Amaña'.
