Right, left, right, left hook. The combination unfolded in seconds, Amarildo Vraja fell and the Bulgarian corner erupted with joy. On 25 August 2022, Borislav Velev – Roy stepped into Air Albania Stadium in Tirana and showed in the first round why his punching power was already attracting attention.
For our team, it was one of the most powerful experiences with Roy outside Bulgaria. A major stadium, a local opponent and championship stakes — the WBC Youth Intercontinental super welterweight belt. Velev had to impose his game on a night organised around the stars of Albanian boxing.
Away territory and a big stage
The main event was Florian Marku’s homecoming against Mexico’s Miguel Parra Ramirez. BOXXER’s international event also reached Sky Sports viewers. For a young boxer like Roy, that meant a chance for his performance to be seen far beyond the familiar Bulgarian audience.
Opposite him stood Amarildo Vraja, known as The Inquisitor. The young Albanian was unbeaten and had already competed in several European countries. In Tirana, he had the support of his crowd and the chance to take a championship step at home. Velev brought another strong statement: ten professional wins, all by knockout.
Roy did not wait for an invitation to attack
For a stage like this, physical readiness alone is not enough. As the visiting fighter, the opening seconds can draw you into the opponent’s rhythm or give you the chance to impose your own. Roy chose the latter. He committed decisively to the exchange, his heavy punches coming together in a sequence that ended the action in the first round.
Vraja could not withstand the finishing left hook. That explosive moment brought together the most recognisable elements of Velev’s style — rapidly switching the attack from one hand to the other and power that leaves an opponent very little time to react. Ogi Georgiev’s Bulgarian television commentary added further emotion to the sudden finish.
The joy continued in the dressing room
In the ring that night, Velev was announced as the winner by knockout. For us, tension gave way to enormous relief and pride: Roy had done what we had come for — shown his qualities against the local contender on a major international stage.
The celebration continued in the dressing room. Photographs, smiles and the joy of the people around him became part of that night. After weeks of preparation, everything in the ring had ended so quickly that the emotion was still catching up with events. That immediate memory is what we preserve from Tirana.
A performance that showed his power
At that point in Roy’s career, the Youth Intercontinental belt was a significant opportunity. A stadium crowd and an international broadcast put his punching power in front of a much wider audience. The night remains a vivid team memory, although the bout is now officially recorded as No Contest.
The bout is listed as No Contest on the professional record.
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