Surprises in the semi-finals of the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships

One of the most exciting part of the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships, the semi-finals were held in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The host country of the event and China became the strongest after the semi-finals, five of their boxers advanced to the finals of the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships.
Altogether record number of 107 boxers from 20 countries will be competing for the medals in the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships. Eleven countries achieved at least one medal in the continental event: China, Chinese Taipei, DPR Korea, India, Japan, Kazakhstan, South Korea, Mongolia, Thailand, Vietnam and Uzbekistan. Among them eight have got also at least one finalist in Ho Chi Minh City.

Light flyweight (48kg):
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 eliminated Vietnam’s Trinh Thi Diem Kieu and Chinese Taipei’s Pin Meng Chieh in close contests during her road to the semi-finals. Mary Kom started her semi-final in focusing style against Japan’s Tsubasa Komura and she delivered her best performance today. Mary Kom was able to keep her focus until the final bell and won their contest by unanimous decision. She will be meeting in the final with DPR Korea’s Kim Hyang Mi who eliminated Mongolia’s Jargalan Ochirbat.

Flyweight (51kg):
DPR Korea’s Pang Chol Mi won the gold medal in the Ulaanbaatar Box Cup where she defeated all of her rivals by large margin of differences. The young North Korean boxer eliminated already Japan’s Sana Kawano and India’s Neeraj but her semi-final rival was Kazakhstan’s two-time AIBA Women’s World Champion Nazym Kyzaibay. Both boxers prepared well tactically to this important semi-final and had the same fighting spirit in their world class bout. Pang did a superb finish in the third round and her efforts were enough to beat her world class level rival in Ho Chi Minh City. Pang’s final opponent will be Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Tam who triumphed over Mongolia’s Nandintsetseg Myagmardulam.

Bantamweight (54kg):
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 against Cambodia’s newcomer Nao Srey Pov and Myanmar’s New Ni Oo in her previous two contests. The 22-year-old Lin had to meet in the semi-final with India’s Shiksha who is a newcomer in their national squad. Chinese Taipei’s pride felt the tempo and she was a hard target for her Indian rival and did nice things in her easy semi-final in Ho Chi Minh City. Lin will be facing with Vietnam’s Le Thi Bang in the final which will be an exciting contest in the last competition day.

Featherweight (57kg):
China’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games silver medallist and Asian Games winner Yin Junhua eliminated one of her main rival Vietnam’s AIBA Women’s Junior World Champion Vuong Thi Vy in the quarter-final and met with another top young talent, Chinese Taipei’s Huang Hsiao Wen who was silver medallist in the AIBA Women’s Youth World Boxing Championships in 2015. Huang tried to use her longer reach how her teammate Lin Yu Ting has done at the bantamweight (54kg). Their tactical bout was won by China’s experienced Yin Junhua but Huang Hsiao Wen also proved she is a top talent in our sport. Yin Junhua’s next opponent will be India’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships silver medallist Sonia Lather Singh in the final.

Lightweight (60kg):
South Korea’s defending ASBC Asian Women’s Champion Oh Yeon Ji eliminated Kazakhstan’s National Champion Rimma Volosenko in the first preliminary and China’s AIBA Women’s World Champion Yang Wenlu therefore her road was hard to the semi-finals. The Korean boxer faced with India’s Priyanka Chaudhary and tried to be more active from the first seconds. Oh was a bit tired after her previous two top contests but she did enough to secure her place in the final. The Korean hopeful will be meeting with Vietnam’s Luu Thi Duyen for the gold medal in Ho Chi Minh City.

Light welterweight (64kg):
China’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships quarter-finalist Dou Dan eliminated Chinese Taipei’s Lin Li Wei Hsien and Sri Lanka’s Galbokka Hewage Thanuja Nilakshi Dharmasena with top performances and both of her previous contests finished by RSC. China’s top boxer, who moved down one weight class, caught her veteran Indian rival, former AIBA Women’s World Champion Sarita Devi Laishram with hooks in the first round. The Chinese boxer was a hard target for the Indian and Dou Dan’s strong performance delivered for her a place in the final. Dou Dan will now face for the title with Kazakhstan’s Madina Nurshayeva in Ho Chi Minh City.

Welterweight (69kg):
China’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships silver medallist Gu Hong delivered strong performance in her debuting contest against Uzbekistan’s Gavkhar Mirzaeva. The experienced Chinese boxer had longer reach in her semi-final bout when she met with Vietnam’s Tran Thi Linh who began boxing only in 2010. The Chinese boxer had better footwork in their contest and eliminated her strong Vietnamese rival by unanimous decision in Ho Chi Minh City. Gu Hong will be meeting with Kazakhstan’s AIBA Women’s World Champion Valentina Khalzova in the final.

Middleweight (75kg):
Kazakhstan’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games bronze medallist Dariga Shakimova eliminated one of her main rival DPR Korea’s Asian Games winner Jang Un Hui in the second competition day. The defending ASBC Asian Women’s Champion triumphed over Vietnam’s 21-year-old Luu Diem Quynh in the last eight and met with her old rival in the semi-final, China’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games bronze medallist Li Qian. Both boxers had great actions in the first round and knew each other well enough in their spectacular semi-final. The Chinese boxer had a few strong hooks in the second round and she looked fresh and energetic until the last gong which means Li Qian can box in the final. The Chinese star will be meeting with South Korea’s Seon Su Jin in the final of this Olympic category.

Light heavyweight (81kg):
China’s two-time AIBA Women’s World Champion Yang Xiaoli eliminated India’s Pooja Rani in the quarter-final and tried to use her longer reach against Kazakhstan’s Moldir Bazarbayeva in the last four. The 26-year-old Kazakh boxer was too small for the Chinese No.1 and did not find the best fighting distance in their semi-final. The final verdict was unanimous decision to the Chinese boxer who was too strong for Bazarbayeva today. Yang will now meeting with Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Huong in the title bout tomorrow.

Heavyweight (+81kg):
Kazakhstan’s defending AIBA Women’s World Champion Kungeibayeva lost her semi-final in Wulanchabu two years ago due an injury but this time she was focusing well to her bout against Vietnam’s three-time National Champion Tran Thi Oanh Nhi. Kungeibayeva launched several tough punches in the first round and she had the weight advantage against her Vietnamese rival. Tran looked still enough fresh in the third round and she was able to turn back their contest in Hi Chi Minh City. Vietnam’s new sensation will now face with Uzbekistan’s Guzal Ismatova in the final of the competition.

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