Ukrainian Boxer Anastasiia Petrenko Claims IBO World Title in Belgium

Anastasiia Petrenko's World Title Triumph

According to Главком: In a bout held at the Hall des sports M.Daerden in Herstal, Belgium, Ukrainian boxer Anastasiia Petrenko captured the vacant IBO world championship in the junior featherweight division. The ten-round fight, which concluded in the early hours of March 29, 2026, saw Petrenko defeat Mexico's Maria Soledad Vargas by unanimous decision, with judges' scores of 97-93, 96-94, and 97-93. This victory marks a significant milestone for Ukrainian boxing on the global stage.

The 30-year-old Petrenko, who now holds a perfect professional record of 8-0 with 4 knockouts, made her professional debut outside of Ukraine with this win. She previously held the WBC Francophone and WBC Ukraine regional titles in the bantamweight division. This world title fight victory extends her undefeated streak to eight wins. Her success is part of a broader wave of achievement for Ukrainian fighters in international competition.

Ukrainian Boxers Rise in World Rankings

Following Petrenko's victory, it's notable that seven Ukrainian boxers have been ranked in the latest World Boxing standings:

• Hanna Okhota - 6th place in the under 48 kg category
• Anastasiia Chernokolenko - 10th place in 70 kg
• Mariia Lovchynska - 9th place in 80+ kg
• Elvin Aliyev - 10th place in 65 kg
• Yurii Zakharieiev - 12th place in 70 kg
• Pavlo Illiusha - 5th place in 75 kg
• Danylo Zhasan - 4th place in 85 kg

"We are world champions," declared Anastasiia Petrenko, highlighting the significance of her achievement.

Petrenko's championship win represents a major accomplishment for Ukrainian sports, underscoring the nation's growing prominence in international boxing. The strong showing of Ukrainian athletes in global rankings points to the development of the sport within the country and may serve as inspiration for a new generation of athletes. This event is likely to boost interest in boxing across Ukraine, potentially leading to greater investment in sports infrastructure and athlete support systems.

Petrenko's impressive victory not only highlights her personal achievements but also reflects the broader success of Ukrainian athletes in boxing. This is evident as several Ukrainian boxers are making waves in the latest global rankings. To learn more about how these athletes are performing on the world stage, check out the details in our article about the latest rankings of top Ukrainian boxers.