India’s legend Mary Kom has the chance to win her sixth title at the ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships

Eighteen female semi-final contests were held in the fourth competition day in the ASBC Asian Elite Men’s and Women’s Boxing Championships. India’s legend Chungneijang Mary Kom Hmangte won her narrow semi-final in Dubai and she has the chance to win her sixth Asian title.

The venue of the continental event is the Grand Ballroom of the Le Meridien Hotel in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. The number of the boxers is 150 including 47 women from 17 different nations in the ASBC Asian Elite Men’s and Women’s Boxing Championships.

The following 17 nations are attending in the ASBC Asian Men’s & Women’s Elite Boxing Championships in Dubai: Afghanistan, Bahrain, Indonesia, India, Iran, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Kuwait, Laos, Mongolia, Philippines, Qatar, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, host United Arab Emirates, and Uzbekistan.

All of the ten women weight categories were in action in the fourth competition day of the ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships. Mr. Walid Jarrar of Jordan is the Technical Delegate of the ASBC Asian Elite Men’s and Women’s Boxing Championships.

Philippines’ Josie Gabuco lost her semi-final to promising Uzbek, Sultonalieva

Philippines’ Josie Gabuco won the title of the light flyweight (48kg) in the last edition of the ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships. The previous AIBA Women’s World Champion had hard job against Uzbekistan’s promising Gulasal Sultonalieva who developed well in the recent two years. Sultonalieva started well with aggressive style of boxing and she surprised Gabuco in the first round. The 22-year-old Uzbek tried to keep her veteran Filipino rival on short and she succeeded causing the main surprise of the session. Sultonalieva defeated Kazakhstan’s Alua Balkybekova in the 2019 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships and she will have the chance for that once again in Dubai.

India’s Mary Kom has the chance for her sixth Asian title

India’s six-time AIBA Women’s World Champion Chungneijang Mary Kom Hmangte is the biggest name in the whole competition who tried to work from longer distance against Mongolia’s Lutsaikhan Altantsetseg. The Indian southpaw had such a competitive rival as the Mongolian who landed also excellent punches in the first round. Mary Kom fought more in this contest than in her previous challenges against the progressed Mongolian and tried to manage everything from strength. The final verdict was split decision in the favour of the Indian veteran who has the chance to win her sixth Asian title against Kazakhstan’s two-time AIBA Women’s World Champion Nazym Kyzaibay.

“It was not my best performance today but I am in the final of the ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships which is so important for me. There are not so many major competitions and the event is my last step before the Olympic Games. The event is now smaller because of the Covid-19 but there are good boxers in the championships. I hope I can take a medal in the Tokyo Olympic Games and anything can happen after that with my long career,” said India’s Chungneijang Mary Kom Hmangte after her success.

Kazakhstan’s Dina Zholaman defeated India’s Sakshi Choudhary in a close bout

Kazakhstan’s former AIBA Women’s World Champion Dina Zholaman has got 12 years of international experiences and she is still in top form. She met in the semi-final with India’s Sakshi Choudhary who claimed two gold medals in the AIBA Women’s Youth World Boxing Championships in 2017 and in 2018 before joining to the elites in 2019. The Indian talent moved down to the bantamweight (54kg) and she worked well but Zholaman’s close distance punches decided their narrow contest. Zholaman will be boxing for the gold medal with Uzbekistan’s Sitora Shogdarova who eliminated Mongolia’s Erdenedalai Michidmaa.

Kukhta vs. Turdibekova for the final of the featherweight (57kg)

Kazakhstan’s Vladislava Kukhta won the gold medal at the featherweight (57kg) in the 2020 edition of their Women’s National Championships. The 22-year-old boxer was strong in the international tournaments and she used the best tactic against India’s Jaismine who is the tallest of the weight category. Kukhta reduced the fighting distance successfully and defeated the talented Indian which means the new Kazakh national team member will be boxing for the gold medal with Uzbekistan’s teenager, Sitora Turdibekova.

Rimma Volosenko and Huswatun Hasanah advanced to finals at the lightweight (60kg)

Kazakhstan’s Rimma Volosenko won several international tournaments but she was not enough successful in the major championships yet. The Kazakh lightweight (60kg) boxer started a bit slowly against India’s Tokyo Olympian Simranjit Kaur Baath but after the first break she stepped into the gas and opened the second round with several quick combinations. Volosenko had excellent attacks in the second and third rounds and one of her punch was almost decisive in Dubai. Volosenko won the contest by unanimous decision and will be boxing for the gold medal with Indonesia’s first ever finalist Huswatun Hasanah who eliminated Tajikistan’s Shoira Zulkaynarova.

Safronova and Lalbuatsaihi are the finalists at the light welterweight (64kg) but Kuwait made her debut in women’s boxing

Kuwait’s Noura Almutairi is her country’s first ever female boxer who attends in the international boxing competitions. The Kuwaiti girl is inexperienced but she had good technical skills and fighting spirit against India’s Lalbuatsaihi in the semi-finals of the light welterweight (64kg). The more experienced Indian won the contest but Almutairi impressed during her debut in the international championships. Lalbuatsaihi, who replaced Pwilao Basumatary in the national team, will be meeting with Kazakhstan’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships bronze medallist for the gold medal.

Uzbekistan’s Navbakhor Khamidova is a surprise medallist

Uzbekistan’s Navbakhor Khamidova competed at the 2018 ASBC Asian Women’s Youth Boxing Championships and in the previous one and half year she progressed well. She moved down to the welterweight (69kg) and claimed medals in the preparation events but Khamidova was not the favourite against India’s two-time AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain. The Indian girl was not able to use her longer reach well enough and Khamidova eliminated her which means she can meet for the gold medal with Kazakhstan’s former AIBA Women’s World Champion Valentina Khalzova.

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