AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships – Day4 Report

Fourteen Asian boxers advanced to the quarter-finals in the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships on Day4

Fourteen Asian women boxers advanced to the quarter-finals in the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in Astana after the fourth competition day. The winners of today’s contests advanced to the last eight and they need only one further successful step to get a medal in the competition. China, Chinese Taipei, India, Japan and Kazakhstan delivered successful day in Astana.

Bantamweight class (54 kg):

China’s Liu Piaopiao replaced Si Haijuan in the national team but proved she is a strong favourite at the Bantamweight class (54 kg). The Chinese boxer danced through the ring against Mongolia’s former ASBC Asian Women’s Champion Bolortuul Tumurkhuyag and took the lead after Round 1. The Mongolian tried to reduce the fighting distance in the second round but Liu moved more and avoid those attacks with successful movements. The final verdict was unanimous decision to the Chinese boxer.
India’s former AIBA Women’s Junior World Champion Nikhat Zareen tried to control her contest against Canada’s Erica Adjei in the second battle of the day. The 20-year-old Indian boxer launched quicker punches against her newcomer rival and she was focused in the second and third rounds as well. Zareen delivered strong performance and advanced to the quarter-finals of the category which means she needs only one further step to get a medal.
Japan’s Aya Shinmoto was bronze medallist in the Asian Games in 2010 and had more experiences than her Greek rival, Aikaterini Koutsogeorgopoulou in their contest. The Japanese veteran was stronger in the first round and attacked more from the second which was a success in the judges as well. Shinmoto had a strong control in the contest and pressurized her Greek opponent in the third round therefore her victory was not a question.
Kazakhstan’s Dina Zholaman was seeded in the Bantamweight class (54 kg) who had a tough European opponent Germany’s Ornella Wahner who came from the Flyweight class (51 kg). The Kazakh boxer was successful in the opening two rounds while she delivered her best performance in the last two minutes against her tiring opponent and advanced to the quarter-finals as first from the host nation’s squad.

Featherweight class (57 kg):

Kazakhstan’s new national team member Aizhan Khodzhabekova had a tough opponent in the second preliminary round in Astana where she had to meet with Ukraine’s young talent EUBC European Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships bronze medallist Maryna Malovana. The Kazakh boxer who was involved to the team in the final minute, delivered her best ever performance and advanced to the last 8.
China’s Gao Meiling could not achieve any medal in the last edition of the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships in Wulanchabu on home soil but she is near to get a podium place in Astana. The 20-year-old Chinese talent was in top shape against Argentina’s Florencia Juarez and used her height advantage to beat her South American rival in the Barys Arena.
India’s Sonia Lather Singh moved up one weight class in the recent month and after her opening success she was able to keep the control against Germany’s Nomin Deutsch who is a newcomer in the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships. The Indian boxer had great jabs which overtook the German attacks therefore Lather Singh became the third Asian who could advance to the last eight in the category.

Welterweight class (69 kg):

Uzbekistan’s ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships silver medallist Shakhnoza Nizamova was seeded in Astana but her first rival was Kazakhstan’s Valentina Khalzova who won all of her contests in the recent half year. Nizamova is the most experienced boxer of the Uzbek woman team but she was caught by Khalzova in the middle of the ring. The referee counted the Uzbek boxer in the second round and Khalzova continued the winning path with her superb performance in Astana.
China’s defending ASBC Asian Women’s Champion Gu Hong used her height advantage against Turkey’s Gulten Turker in her debuting match. She had a few difficulties in the second round but tried to control the bout from longer range. The Chinese boxer was more experienced than her Turkish rival and dominated the second part of their contest therefore she is also in the Top in Astana.

Middleweight class (75 kg):

China’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships silver medallist and AIBA Asian & Oceanian Olympic Qualification Event winner Li Qian had a similar tall opponent Sweden’s veteran Anna Laurell who has also qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The Chinese boxer was successful in the exchanges in the first round while Laurell came back to the contest in the second with powerful jabs. Li Qian was enough strong to do her best until the end of the final round and defeated her two-time AIBA Women’s World Champion Swedish rival in the Barys Arena.
Kazakhstan’s Dariga Shakimova has already qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games but she was replaced by Violetta Knyazeva in the Astana event. The young Kazakh talent had better punches than her Argentinean rival, Lucia Perez and took the lead after one round. Knyazeva was energetic, felt the fighting distance against her South American rival and advanced to the best eight in the event.
Chinese Taipei’s AIBA Women’s Junior World Champion and Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games silver medallist Chen Nien Chin is only 19 but she has got enough experiences to beat top rivals as well. Chen had a tactical first round against Brazil’s veteran Andreia Bandeira and after that she raised her rhythm and had quicker jabs than her opponent. Chinese Taipei’s teenage talent worked more and her efficiency resulted for her a place in the last eight.

Light Heavyweight class (81 kg):

China’s Yang Xiaoli is the defending AIBA Women’s World Champion in the category who was seeded as No.1 in Astana. The Chinese boxer had a dangerous rival Gabon’s Chimene Moulomba who stopped a tough boxer in the first preliminary round. ASBC Asian Women’s Champion Yang did not underestimate her African rival and dominated the second part of their bout with her longer reaches.
India’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships silver medallist Saweety Boora was a favourite against Belarus’ Viktoriya Kebikava who moved up from the Middleweight class (75 kg). The Indian boxer attacked from the first seconds in their contest but she could not share her power well enough and she had issues in the final round. Her advantage was enough to keep the triumph in Astana and advanced to the Top 8 at the championships.