Six nations shared the titles in the Ulaanbaatar Box Cup

The Asian highlight of the week, the Ulaanbaatar Box Cup finished with its final competition day in the Mongolian capital city where ten new champions have been crowned. Host Mongolia, DPR Korea, Chinese Taipei, India, Indonesia and Philippines claimed the gold medals in the Ulaanbaatar Box Cup.
The competition was held in the currently three Olympic women’s weight classes at the flyweight (51kg), lightweight (60kg) and middleweight (75kg). Furthermore the men boxers were able to box in seven weight categories from the light flyweight (49kg) up to the middleweight (75kg).

Women’s flyweight (51kg):
DPR Korea’s Bang Chol Mi is a new Women’s National Champion in her country at the flyweight (51kg) and she was selected to take part in the Ulaanbaatar Box Cup. The North Korean boxer was amazing against such a tough rival India’s five-time AIBA Women’s World Champion Chungneijang Mary Kom Hmangte in Mongolia in the quarter-final. Bang eliminated her star rival and continued her winning path against Mongolia’s No.1 Altantsetseg Lutsaikhan in the semi-final. The young North Korean talent was too strong for another Mongolian boxer in the final, Jargalan Ochirbat.

Women’s lightweight (60kg):
DPR Korea’s Choe Hye Song was too strong for India’s new surprise Priyanka Chaudhary in the semi-final of the second Olympic women’s weight class. The young North Korean met for the title with Russia’s National Champion Natalia Shadrina who has been competing in the international events since 2012. Choe looked energetic and powerful in the final and she launched her attacks in the right moments. The North Korean pride was brave and effective also which delivered for her a gold medal in the Ulaanbaatar Box Cup. Russia’s defending EUBC European Women’s Champion Aleksandra Ordina also attended in the event in Mongolia but she was not able to get any medal in Ulaanbaatar.

Women’s middleweight (75kg):
Chinese Taipei’s women’s No.1, AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships bronze medallist and Rio 2016 Olympian Chen Nien Chin eliminated in the first round another gold medal contender at the women’s middleweight (75kg), DPR Korea’s National Champion Pak Un Sim. Taiwan’s young national hero triumphed over Mongolia’s Myagmarjargal Munkhbat in the quarter-final and advanced to the gold medal bout also following her win over Russia’s Darima Sandakova. Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games silver medallist Chen had to meet with Mongolia’s Erdenetuya Enkhbaatar in the final of the event and she was able to win all of the rounds in each scorecards.

Men’s light flyweight (49kg):
Philippines’ AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Rogen Ladon claimed two medals in the recent two editions of the ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships. The Filipino light flyweight (49kg) boxer needed to do his very best to beat India’s Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympian Shyam Kumar Kakara in the semi-final and met with Mongolia’s Gan-Erdene Gankhuyag for the gold which will be their repeat match after the previous events. The Mongolian boxer, who claimed silver at the ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships in Tashkent, was slightly better and won their close bout by split decision.

Men’s flyweight (52kg):
Indonesia’s Aldoms Suguro competed already at the 2012 AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships and after a few years of trainings in the elite age group he was involved to the national team. Suguro, who competed at the ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships in Tashkent, has done great job against Russia’s Bato Sidenov and continued his winning path against Mongolia’s Tsendsuren Bat-Ireedui. His final opponent was India’s London 2012 Olympian and Commonwealth Games silver medallist Laishram Devendro Singh. Suguro exceeded the expectations with his strong punches and delivered a sensational 3:2 triumph against his star Indian rival.

Men’s bantamweight (56kg):
DPR Korea’s Jo Hyo Nam robbed into the world of boxing this year with his silver medal at the Thailand International Invitational Tournament. The North Korean bantamweight (56kg) boxer eliminated Philippines’ Jorge Rey Edusma and continued his winning path against Mongolia’s Rio 2016 Olympian Enkh-Amara Kharkhuu. Jo Hyo Nam’s amazing success was a big sensation in the fourth competition day and for the title against Mongolia’s Tumurkhuyag Bat-Ochir he was able to repeat that strong performance. India’s Strandja Memorial Tournament silver medallist Mohamed Hussamuddin achieved bronze this time.

Men’s lightweight (60kg):
India’s Ankush Dahiya claimed silver medal in the 2016 ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships in Pavlodar and joined to the national squad elite squad this year. Currently he is India’s No.2 at the lightweight (60kg) behind their star Shiva Thapa but he proved excellent style of boxing in the Ulaanbaatar Box Cup. The 19-year-old talent eliminated Russia’s Radna Tsybikov in the semi-final and he was still enough motivated in the final to beat DPR Korea’s Choe Chol Man.

Men’s light welterweight (64kg):
Mongolia’s ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships silver medallist and Rio 2016 Olympian Chinzorig Baatarsukh was the main favourite of the light welterweight (64kg) but after his road to the finals he was not able to get the title of the Ulaanbaatar Box Cup. The Military World Champion injured in the first round of the final against Bayarkhuu Ganbaatar who achieved an unexpected title in the event. Philippines’ Southeast Asian Games winner Charly Suarez moved up to the light welterweight (64kg) since the Rio 2016 Olympic Games and finally claimed bronze medal in the Ulaanbaatar Box Cup while China’s new face Ye Erlan also get a podium place in Mongolia.

Men’s welterweight (69kg):
Mongolia’s young hope Otgonbaatar Byamba-Erdene was excellent in the road to the finals at the Ulaanbaatar Box Cup. He defeated India’s Duryodhan Singh and Mongolia’s Bayarmunkh Munkh-Ireedui with his tough combinations. Byamba-Erdene was not the favourite in the final against his teammate, ASBC Asian Confederation Youth Boxing Championships silver medallist Batzorig Otgonjargal but finally his hand was raised after the final gong.

Men’s middleweight (75kg):
Philippines’ ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships silver medallist and former AIBA Junior World Champion Eumir Felix Marcial is now a strong middleweight (75kg) boxer and recovered from his injuries. The 21-year-old Filipino eliminated his main rival China’s veteran Hu Richabilige in the quarter-final and dominated his semi-final against another Chinese athlete, Zhan Chaofeng. Marcial’s gold medal opponent was his third Chinese rival, Jan Xoja in the Ulaanbaatar Box Cup but his strength and speed were enough to win the tournament title in Mongolia.

List of the winners in the Ulaanbaatar Box Cup
Women’s 51kg: Bang Chol Mi, DPR Korea
Women’s 60kg: Choe Hye Song, DPR Korea
Women’s 75kg: Chen Nien Chin, Chinese Taipei
Men’s 49kg: Gan-Erdene Gankhuyag, Mongolia
Men’s 52kg: Aldoms Suguro, Indonesia
Men’s 56kg: Jo Hyo Nam, DPR Korea
Men’s 60kg: Ankush Dahiya, India
Men’s 64kg: Bayarkhuu Ganbaatar, Mongolia
Men’s 69kg: Otgonbaatar Byamba-Erdene, Mongolia
Men’s 75kg: Eumir Felix Marcial, Philippines