Germany-based Armenian boxer Arthur Abraham gave expensive gifts to the Vladimir Yengibaryan Olympic Boxing Children’s and Youth Sport School, thus showing his gratitude to the establishment in Yerevan where he made his first steps in sport.

On Wednesday afternoon the renowned boxer personally handed to 50 trainees and coaches of the school sports equipment and boxing gear worth €100,000, including punching bags, boxing “paws”, boxer T-shirts and shorts, boots, bags, gloves, caps and other sportswear.

“This donation was the desire of my heart, and I express my deepest gratitude to the school where I studied, trained, had good coaches. That’s why I want to give all these gifts to all the pupils who go in for sports to encourage them to train better and become champions,” said the athlete.

All the sports gear is of the famous Adidas brand, as during each competition Abraham wears the gloves of this firm. Before his latest fight the boxer made an arrangement with the company so that instead of money they would give him the double amount of sports items he could purchase with his fee so that he could use it for charity purposes.

The Olympic Boxing Children’s and Youth Sport School that was founded still in 1959 with all its regional chapters today has about 500 pupils, however the school’s principal Suren Ghazaryan says that the school is in a poor condition and that Abraham’s donation is very necessary to them.

“Whatever we received, we would be grateful, especially from our former pupil, who used to train hard within these premises. This will be an incentive for our trainees so that they seek to have victories,” says Ghazaryan, adding that the donation will help train quality athletes and take them to the international arena.

Twenty-five children representing Armenia at national team level in boxing will also receive gifts from Abraham, who promises that he will organize more such charitable activities in the future with the aim of promoting the development of boxing in Armenia.

Abraham also told media that there is already an agreement with the municipality of Yerevan that after the end of his boxing career he will set up a new boxing school in Yerevan where along with physical trainings children will simultaneously study foreign languages, in particular English and German.

The boxer believes that there are many talented athletes and coaches in Armenia and that the sport has great prospects in the country.

“Armenia still needs some time for achievements in professional boxing, but in amateur boxing there are very strong kids who may go out into the professional market and participate in world championship fights,” says the former IBF middleweight champion.

Speaking about his immediate plans in boxing, Abraham said he planned to have two or three rating bouts in middleweight, after which he will fight for the world title.

“I’ll recover what I lost,” the thumper promised.