Review of the first historical ASBC Asian Grand Slam Boxing Championships

The first edition of the new ASBC Asian Grand Slam Boxing Championships was held in the city of in Xiamen, China on December 2019. Chinese Taipei’s AIBA Women’s World Champion Huang Hsiao Wen and Mongolia’s Asian Games silver medallist Chinzorig Baatarsukh were the biggest stars of the finals which delivered surprises in Xiamen.

The following 11 nations attended in the ASBC Asian Grand Slam Boxing Championships in Xiamen in 2019: Australia, India, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Tajikistan, Chinese Taipei, and United Arab Emirates. ASBC President Mr. Anas Alotaiba followed the final day of boxing in the Asian Grand Slam Boxing Championships together with several top officials.

The ASBC Asian Grand Slam Boxing Championships was held in the official Olympic categories which scheduled also for Tokyo in 2020. The first edition of the ASBC Asian Grand Slam Boxing Championships was a money prize event, all of the medallists got payments during the competition in the city of Xiamen.

Chinese Taipei’s Huang Hsiao Wen claimed gold medal at the bantamweight (54kg) of the 2019 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in Ulan-Ude and she arrived to Xiamen as the biggest name of the competition. The 22-year-old boxer fought at the flyweight (51kg) this time but she was fit to box in this division and used her longer reach against Tajikistan’s Farida Samieva which was clear dominancy in the first two rounds. Following the second knock down, the Tajik ringside abandoned the fight and Huang continued her winning path.

Philippines’ Nesthy Petecio won the title of the featherweight (57kg) at the Ulan-Ude 2019 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships which was an amazing success for the Southeast Asian country this year. Nesthy’s younger sister Nicezzaa Petecio returned to the national team after a few years of break and attended various international tournaments in 2019. The 25-year-old boxer also fought at the featherweight (57kg) as her sister and took the title after beating Nepal’s Minu Gurung in the final of the Grand Slam.

Thailand’s No.1 at the women’s lightweight (60kg) is Sudaporn Seesondee who achieved several medals in the AIBA and ASBC events in the recent five years. For the Asian Grand Slam Boxing Championships, she was replaced by Janjaem Suwannapheng who is a promising talent in Thailand. The Thai girl had to face for the gold medal with Mongolia’s 20-year-old Namuun Monkhor who has been attending in the international events as a junior since 2014. Suwannapheng found her more experienced Mongolian opponent’s weak points in time and defeated the main favourite proving her developments.

India’s Pooja received the right to compete at the middleweight (75kg) in Xiamen where she earned the last female title beating Mongolia’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships competitor Munkhbat Myagmarjargal. India’s first male title was achieved by South Asian Games winner Sparsh Kumar who was slightly better than Philippines’ Marvin Tabamo at the flyweight (52kg). India’s third gold medal was achieved by Krishan Sharma who was too strong for Mongolia’s Daivii Otgonbayar at the super heavyweight (+91kg). The Indian boxer knocked down his veteran Mongolian opponent twice and the Irish referee stopped their unequal final.

Mongolia’s Asian Games silver medallist and Rio 2016 Olympian Chinzorig Baatarsukh had a tough final against Thailand’s Somchay Wongsuwan who is also a well-known name at the men’s lightweight (63kg). The 28-year-old Mongolian felt the tempo better and won their final unanimously in Xiamen.

Australia’s former AIBA Junior World Champion Clay Waterman controlled all of the rounds against Tajikistan’s Amman 2013 ASBC Asian Boxing Championships silver medallist Navruz Jafoev and became the champion of the light heavyweight (81kg). The 24-year-old Aussie boxer won his nation’s lone title in the 1st ASBC Asian Grand Slam Boxing Championships.

List of the winners in the 1st ASBC Asian Grand Slam Boxing Championships
Women’s 51kg: Huang Hsiao Wen, Chinese Taipei
Women’s 57kg: Nicezzaa Petecio, Philippines
Women’s 60kg: Janjaem Suwannapheng, Thailand
Women’s 69kg: Hergie Bacyadan, Philippines
Women’s 75kg: Pooja, India
Men’s 52kg: Sparsh Kumar, India
Men’s 63kg: Chinzorig Baatarsukh, Mongolia
Men’s 69kg: Wang Jia Jun, Chinese Taipei
Men’s 75kg: Muhammad Danish, Singapore
Men’s 81kg: Clay Waterman, Australia
Men’s +91kg: Krishan Sharma, India

Don’t forget you can keep up with all of the action, news, results and photos by following ASBC on Facebook and Instagram.
ASBC website: www.asbcnews.org
ASBC Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ASBC.Boxing/
ASBC Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/asbc_official/
ASBC Twitter page: https://www.twitter.com/BoxingAsian?s=08