AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships – Quarter-finals Report

The Asian continent achieved three new quota places for Rio and sixteen medals in the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships

The sixth competition day in the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships finished in Astana, Kazakhstan where the quarter-finals were in action. The winners of today’s contest are now guaranteed medallists in the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships. 29 Asian boxers were in action today and 16 won their bouts in the Barys Arena in Astana. Asia claimed 16 medals which is 40% of the total podium places while the continent achieved three new quota places for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games.

Light Flyweight class (48 kg):

DPR Korea’s ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships silver medallist U Yong Gum eliminated Germany’s Sarah Bormann in her second bout and her next rival Canada’s Kim Klavel also could not stop her in the event. The North Korean proved amazing footwork in the bout and won the first three rounds clearly which was enough for her to eliminate her Canadian rival and secure a guaranteed medal in Astana.
Kazakhstan’s defending AIBA Women’s World Champion Nazym Kyzaibay moved back to her original weight class and after her preliminary successes she had to meet with one of her main rival India’s Sarjubala Shamjetsabam Devi in the quarter-finals. They met in the final of the category in Jeju one and half year ago while the result of their repeat match was the same in Astana, Kyzaibay won their top level bout.
Wang Yuyan replaced defending ASBC Asian Women’s Champion E Naiyan in the national team and had a great triumph against Italy’s Valeria Calabrese while her next opponent was Philippines’ Josie Gabuco who was AIBA Women’s World Champion in 2012. The Chinese boxer took the lead after the first round but Gabuco also proved her best in the third which was the best in their tactical contest. The final verdict of their close contest was unanimous decision to Wang who became the third Asian semi-finalists in the weight class.

Flyweight class (51 kg):

Kazakhstan’s Incheon 2014 Asian Games silver medallist Zhaina Shekerbekova eliminated DPR Korea’s Ri Hyang Mi in the last preliminary round and after that she was enough strong to beat Germany’s sensation Azize Nimani in the quarter-finals. Shekerbekova’s success meant she has qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games as 12th Kazakh boxer.
Thailand’s current ASBC Asian Women’s Champion Peamwilai Laopeam was too strong for Morocco’s AIBA African Olympic Qualification Event winner Zohra Ez-Zahraoui in the third preliminary round and she continued her winning path in Astana. The Thai boxer had an amazing battle against Poland’s Baku 2015 European Games silver medallist Sandra Drabik and her final round was enough to win the Olympic spot 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 eliminated Mongolia’s former ASBC Asian Women’s Champion Bolortuul Tumurkhuyag and met with another Asian athlete, India’s former AIBA Women’s Junior World Champion Nikhat Zareen. The Chinese boxer used her height advantage to keep the distance in the bout and she had enough power to win their top level contest in Astana.
Japan’s Aya Shinmoto was bronze medallist in the Asian Games in 2010 and eliminated her Greek rival, Aikaterini Koutsogeorgopoulou in her last contest but her next rival was Kazakhstan’s Dina Zholaman who was seeded in the Bantamweight class (54 kg). The 24-year-old Kazakh boxer found the tiny holes on the Japanese defence in the first and second rounds. Shinmoto proved her best in the third round but Zholaman’s fighting spirit delivered a further medal for Kazakhstan.

Featherweight class (57 kg):

Kazakhstan’s new national team member Aizhan Khodzhabekova eliminated Ukraine’s young talent EUBC European Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships bronze medallist Maryna Malovana and met with another youngster China’s Gao Meiling who is only 20. The Kazakh boxer was taller and had great support from the home crowd and her performance proved it was a great decision moving her down to the Featherweight class (57 kg). The youngest Chinese team member could not stop the Kazakh attacks successfully therefore Khodzhabekova advanced to the next round.
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 and continued the winning path in her important bout on Day 6. The 24-year-old Indian found the best tactic against Poland’s former AIBA Women’s Youth World Champion Aneta Rygielska and secured her nation’s first medal in Astana.

Light Welterweight class (64 kg):

Kazakhstan’s Zarina Tsoloyeva was eliminated by Ireland’s Kellie Harrington therefore the last Asian boxer in the weight class was China’s Yang Wenlu who won the gold medal at the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships in Wulanchabu and also in the Strandja Memorial Tournament in Sofia a few months ago. She defeated her main rival US teenage star Jajaira Gonzalez and had to meet with another top athlete, Great Britain’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships silver medallist Sandy Ryan. Yang controlled her bout and in spite of the warning which she received from the referee, she was able to advance to the semi-finals in Astana.

Welterweight class (69 kg):

Kazakhstan’s Valentina Khalzova eliminated Uzbekistan’s seeded Shakhnoza Nizamova in the previous round and she was confident also against Ireland’s Grainne Walsh in the quarter-final. The young Kazakh boxer took the lead after Round 1 and continued the strong performance in the Barys Arena against her European rival. Walsh had to go to the medical corner in the second round after Khalzova’s strong punches and the ringside doctor finished their contest before the half part of their battle.
China’s defending ASBC Asian Women’s Champion Gu Hong eliminated Turkey’s Gulten Turker in her debuting match in Astana and tried to keep the control against Azerbaijan’s Maryam Jabrayilova in the quarter-final. The Chinese boxer dominated the contest from the first seconds and her combinations were too strong for the Azeri talent. The referee counted Jabrayilova in the third round therefore the difference between them became huge until the end of the fourth round.

Middleweight class (75 kg):

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 eliminated Brazil’s veteran Andreia Bandeira in the last preliminary round and she had better punches than Morocco’s AIBA African Olympic Qualification Event winner Khadija Mardi. Chen attacked successfully and reduced the fighting distance against her taller North African rival and qualified for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games as first from Chinese Taipei since 1996.

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 eliminated Gabon’s Chimene Moulomba but her next opponent was a top one, Russia’s Liubov Pashina. Yang expected a strong battle but the Russian boxer could not repeat her previous performance therefore the Chinese star was able to win all of the rounds.

Heavyweight class (+81 kg):

China’s Wang Shijin defeated Uzbekistan’s Guzal Ismatova in the final of the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships in Wulanchabu last year and repeated that performance once again in the preliminaries. The Chinese boxer controlled the first minute against Hungary’s newcomer Agnes Marko but after an exchange her European rival has injured in her ankle and could not continue their battle.
Kazakhstan’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships silver medallist Lazzat Kungeibayeva seeded as No.2 at the Heavyweight class (+81 kg) and therefore she was fresh in her debuting match against India’s Seema Poonia joined to the national team last year. The Kazakh boxer won all of the rounds and after Wang she also advanced to the semi-final of the highest category.