Vietnam’s strong duo Le and Luu performed well in the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships on Day1
The first competition day of the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships was held in Ho Chi Minh City. Vietnam’s strong duo Le Thi Bang and Luu Thi Duyen began their campaign well enough in the first competition day when DPR Korea ad India remained unbeaten.
Altogether record number of 107 boxers from 20 countries will be competing for the medals in the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships. Seventeen preliminary bouts were held in the first competition day while eighteen contests are scheduled on Day2 in Ho Chi Minh City.
Light flyweight (48kg):
Japan’s Tsubasa Komura won the Taipei City Cup just before the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships and the 21-year-old boxer looked confident against Philippines’ Judelyn Casin in the opening bout of the competition. Komura ruled the middle of the ring and his patient style delivered for her a place in the last eight following her victory by unanimous decision.
Chinese Taipei’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships quarter-finalist Pin Meng Chieh returned to the squad in the recent months and tried to use her best fighting distance against Thailand’s Panpradab Plodsai. Pin was more experienced than her younger Thai rival and her longer reach was difference between them in the first round. Plodsai moved ahead after the second round more but Pin’s strong tactic was enough to win their tough contest in Ho Chi Minh City.
India’s five-time AIBA Women’s World Champion Chungneijang Mary Kom Hmangte returned to her original light flyweight (48kg) in the recent months to raise the number of her Asian titles. The 34-year-old Indian icon had a tough opponent Vietnam’s Trinh Thi Diem Kieu who was a hard target for Mary Kom. Vietnam’s No.1 in this weight class was also focused and concentrated from the first seconds in their tactical contest. Mary Kom did enough in the contest to win their close fight and advanced to the last eight in the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships.
Singapore’s Leona Hui Xin Yee is member of the national team since 2014 but this is the very first time when her country has been competing in the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships. The 31-year-old Singaporean boxer had difficulties in the first round against Nepal’s Lalita Maharjan who worked more in the opening minutes. The Nepali boxer is also a newcomer in the international competitions but her attacking style delivered for her a victory in the first preliminary round.
Uzbekistan’s National Champion Fotimakhon Tursunboyeva received the right to compete in a big event at the very first time but she tried to do her best against Mongolia’s Jargalan Ochirbat in the first round. The Mongolian boxer felt the tempo well enough from the second minute and tried to overcome Tursunboyeva. The Namangan-based Uzbek talent developed well in the recent two years but Ochirbat’s experiences were too much for her in the first preliminary round.
Bantamweight (54kg):
Kazakhstan’s defending AIBA Women’s World Champion Dina Zholaman had a tough opponent as first, Umakhanov Women’s Memorial Tournament bronze medallist Kim Song Sim in Ho Chi Minh City. Zholaman tried to reduce the fighting distance from the first seconds and her hands were faster than her North Korean opponent’s attacks. Kim turned up the heat from the second round and she was able to deliver a big surprise in the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships with her close triumph.
China’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Liu Piaopiao controlled the first round with tough jabs against Nepal’s Bimala Shrestha. The referee counted the Nepali boxer twice in the second round following Liu Piaopiao’s strong combinations. The Chinese boxer proved top performance in their contest but Bimala Shrestha could fight until the final bell against such strong rival which shows her development in our sport.
Vietnam’s Incheon 2014 Asian Games bronze medallist Le Thi Bang is one of the best hope of the host nation who started her campaign against Japan’s Aya Shinmoto who achieved bronze at the Guangzhou 2010 Asian Games. The 25-year-old Vietnamese boxer used her longer hands and controlled the first round and tried to rule the middle of the ring. Le Thi Bang, who began boxing in 2008, worked even better in the second round and her left-handed jabs reached the target a few times. Shinmoto was not an ideal opponent as first for Le Thi Bang but Vietnam’s No.1 was able to win her opening bout in Ho Chi Minh City.
Chinese Taipei’s former AIBA Women’s Youth World Champion Lin Yu Ting used her longer hands and speed to keep the best fighting distance in the first round against Cambodia’s newcomer Nao Srey Pov. The Cambodian boxer started the second round with a great jab therefore Lin turned up the heat and finished their contest with her strength and technique. Singapore’s referee confirmed her RSC success in the second round therefore Lin can continues in the quarter-final.
Lightweight (60kg):
Sri Lanka’s Dulanjani Lankapurayalage Dharmatilake is a debutant in their national team in such a big event as the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships. The 26-year-old Sri Lankan boxer met with Nepal’s Sangita Sunar who moved down two weight classes in the recent months. The Sri Lankan boxer moved closer to her taller opponent and she was able to in her first ever international contest.
South Korea’s defending ASBC Asian Women’s Champion Oh Yeon Ji was a hard target for Kazakhstan’s National Champion Rimma Volosenko in the first round and finalized the period with a tough combination. Volosenko developed well since the Astana 2016 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships but she received too many punches from her South Korean opponent. Oh delivered sensational performance in the final round and defeated her Kazakh rival in Ho Chi Minh City.
Besides to Le Thi Bang, Luu Thi Duyen is the most experienced women boxer in Vietnam who achieved bronze medal in the Incheon 2014 Asian Games following her youth successes. The 24-year-old boxer moved back to the lightweight (60kg) and launched powerful shots in the first round against Uzbekistan’s Raykhona Kodirova who replaced Gulnoza Rakhmatova in the final minute. Luu operated with tough left-handed jabs in the second round and controlled her debuting contest in Ho Chi Minh City.
Thailand’s Ratchadaporn Saoto won the FISU University World Boxing Championships last year and has done her debut in the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships in Ho Chi Minh City where her opening opponent was Cambodia’s Vy Srey Khouch. The Thai boxer controlled the contest with her attacking style but Cambodia’s talent also proved amazing development.