The 18-year-old made history for her nation with a unanimous points victory over her Russian opponent in the gold medal bout in the women's welterweight division at the Duna Arena.

"I’m truly on top of the world right now," said Cavanagh.

"Being from a small city as I am [Saint John, NB], participating in the Youth World Championships was an accomplishment in itself but as I mentioned before, I didn’t come to participate; I came to win."

Russia’s Anastasiia Rybak avenged her defeat at the 2017 Youth World Championships in Guwahati after she overcame Asian champion Guzal Sadykova of Kazakhstan in the final of the women's light heavyweight tournament.

Nitu Ghanghas of India then defended her light flyweight crown, ousting Thailand’s Nillada Meekoon in the final.

The other women's gold medals on offer on the first day of finals were claimed by England's Caroline Dubois and Iyana Verduzco of the United States.

Dubois won the lightweight title following victory over Nune Asatrian of Russia, while Verduzco defeated Kazakhstan’s Aizada Yeslyamgali at bantamweight.

In the men's events, Abdumalik Khalokov of Uzbekistan took the bantamweight crown as he beat Russian Vsevolod Shumkov.

Russia then suffered another defeat as European youth champion Ilia Popov lost to Cuba’s Idalberto Umara in the light welterweight final.

The Russian misery continued when Nurbek Oralbay of Kazakhstan proved too strong for Russia’s Daniil Teterev at middleweight but the country bounced back thanks to Igor Fedorov, who over-powered Kazakhstan’s Aibek Oralbay to clinch gold in the heavyweight division.

The competition in Budapest concludes tomorrow.