Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Thailand, China, Vietnam and Ukraine have women’s finalists in Chiang Mai

Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Thailand, China, Vietnam and Ukraine have female finalists at the ASBC Asian Elite Men and Women Boxing Championships in Chiang Mai, Thailand.

Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Chinese Taipei, Japan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Malaysia, Mongolia, Nepal, Philippines, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Sri Lanka, Tajikistan, host Thailand, Turkmenistan, Ukraine, Uzbekistan and Vietnam are the 21 participating nations in the ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships.

Uzbekistan’s Farzona Fozilova used her best strategy, the long-distance counter-attacks against Kazakhstan’s Aigerim Sattibayeva in the first round and the three-time ASBC Asian U22 Champion felt the range better today. The 21-year-old Fozilova had better achievements in the past and she outpointed her neighbour from her best range therefore she will now meet for the title of the women’s minimumweight (48kg) Vietnam’s teenager Ngo Ngoc Linh Chi who eliminated Chinese Taipei’s big talent, Guo Yi Hsuan.

Thailand’s Asian Games silver medallist Chuthamat Raksat claimed also two World medals during her long career but she is still hungry for the successes. The 31-year-old Thai faced another Paris Olympian, Uzbekistan’s Sabina Bobokulova in the semi-finals of the women’s light flyweight (50kg) and she controlled the first round. Raksat worked from longer distance as usual and her game play guaranteed her place in the final as first from the Thais.

The Youth World bronze medallist Nguyen Thi Ngoc Tran and Chiu Ching Yu met in the second Vietnam vs. Chinese Taipei semi-final today. The 20-year-old Vietnamese landed effective jabs in the first round but southpaw Chiu also adopted the rhythm of their light flyweight (50kg) semi-final. Chiu, the teenager from Chinese Taipei, attacked more bravely in the second but Nguyen had the stamina to beat her with good finish.

Uzbekistan’s Feruza Kazakova started to win Asian Championships still in 2019 as a 16-year-old junior talent and she followed that later at the youth and U22 age groups. The 21-year-old Uzbek was quicker in the exchanges than Kazakhstan’s Zhazira Urakbayeva in the first round and she had the advantage on the judges’ scorecards. Urakbayeva proved that she is a real fighter but Kazakova’s technical skills overmatched the Kazakh’s current knowledge.

Thailand’s Natnicha Chongprongklang is a multiple Asian medallist in various age groups but this is her first ever ASBC Elite Championships. The 20-year-old local hope progressed in terms of physical conditions and she had also the speed to land effective counter-punches when Ukraine’s Inna Statkevych attacked her. The Thai southpaw controlled all of the three rounds against her inexperienced opponent and she managed her pathway to the final.

Uzbekistan’s Nigina Uktamova was born in 2003 same as Fozilova, Bobokulova and Kazakova and she has six years of international routine in all levels of boxing. The 21-year-old Uzbek controlled all of the three rounds against Philippines’ Riza Pasuit and she advanced to the finals of the featherweight (57kg). Thailand’s two-time Olympian Punrawee Ruenros was too smart and experienced for Kazakhstan’s Ulzhan Sarsenbek, a 19-year-old talent, in the second semi-final of the weight class.

Thailand’s Porntip Buapa had excellent results among the youth and U22 boxers and she is now their best lightweight (60kg) female pugilist in the national team. She had a very difficult job against Kazakhstan’s Viktoriya Grafeyeva who used her longer hands to stop the 23-year-old Thai today. China’s Li Qiange eliminated Ukraine’s Youth World silver medallist Tetiana Dovhal in the second semi-final of the weight class and she became her nation’s first finalist in Chiang Mai.

Ukraine’s former World Champion Maria Bova is one of the oldest competitors in the entire ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships but she had a hard job against China’s Yuan Huiping in the semi-finals of the welterweight (66kg). The Chinese felt the rhythm better today and she eliminated the Ukrainian veteran in Chiang Mai where she will now meet the titleholder, Uzbekistan’s Navbakhor Khamidova.

Thailand’s two-time Olympian Baison Manikon moved down to the light middleweight (70kg) but she remained strong in the exchanges during her semi-final. She had some height advantage against Vietnam’s Hoang Ngoc Mai but she moved ahead more and she deserved to win their bout unanimously. Kazakhstan’s Natalya Bogdanova and Ukraine’s Anastasia Chernokolenko both have medals from big events and the first won their semi-final with a great finish today.

China’s World Champion Wang Lina replaced their Olympic Champion veteran Li Qian at the middleweight (75kg) in the national team and she dominated the first round against Kazakhstan’s new addition, Diana Magauyayeva. Wang had the longer reach, she was stronger and more experienced than the talented Kazakh and after the third standing counts, she won the semi-final by RSC. Wang’s final opponent will be Uzbekistan’s Aziza Zokirova, the two-time Asian Youth Champion youngster.

Uzbekistan’s Sokhiba Ruzmetova moved up to the light heavyweight (81kg) and she had 10cm height advantage against the 2022 edition’s silver medallist, Gulsaya Yerzhan of Kazakhstan. Ruzmetova was involved to the squad in 2021 and she had skills to stop Yerzhan’s attacks with jabs in the first round. The 23-year-old Kazakh mobilized all of her power after the break and she turned back their semi-final with stamina and strength therefore Yerzhan will be boxing for the gold with Ukraine’s Karine Airapetian.

Uzbekistan’s Oltinoy Sotimboyeva was the best female boxer at the 2023 Asian Youth Boxing Championships and she joined the elite national team as well. The Uzbek heavyweight (+81kg) boxer faced Ukraine’s Maria Lovchynska in the last semi-final of the day and she took the advantage on the scorecards after three minutes of fight. The 19-year-old Uzbek was highly motivated and her athletic skills decided this semi-final which means that she will now meet Kazakhstan’s Yeldana Talipova for the gold.

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