(MAR 22)  The 2016 Asian Confederation championships take place in Qui’a, China March 26th to April 2nd and will be an important tournament with the top two women in each the three Olympic weights automatically qualifying for Rio. The event takes place at the city’s Tangshan Jiujiang Sport Center . We take a look at just a few of those challenging for titles in China where the host nation will expect to win several Golds in the male events and at least two among the women.

The best boxers from Asia and Oceania are making final preparations for the AIBA Asian/Oceanian Olympic Qualification Event in Qian’an, China, from 25 March to 2 April. The ultimate goal for each of the 279 boxers registered is securing one of the 30 men’s and 6 women’s quota places for Rio 2016, and the chance to represent their country in August on the world’s greatest sporting stage, said the AIBA in a recent press release.

” Having nearly 300 boxers participating to the Asia-Oceania Olympic Qualification event is a remarkable proof of the vitality of our sport in these 2 continents. The Local Organizing Committee and the City of Qian’an have done a tremendous work and I look forward to witnessing our boxers competing to fulfil their dreams and qualify for Rio 2016 in a state of the art venue.” declared AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu.

“The joint Qualification Event with Oceania is the first time in AIBA history and it would be a great experience for our athletes before the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. Asia had 62 qualified athletes in London four years ago and we are hoping to improve this number in the Rio 2016 Olympic Games demonstrating the continuous development of our continent.” said ASBC President and AIBA Vice-President Mr. Serik Konakbayev.

“This Olympic Qualification tournament will be a testing event for all boxers as every boxer in the tournament is a National Champion and some could very well be among the best in the world. I wish good luck to all Oceanian boxers and remind them, in all their endeavours, to always be true to yourself by doing as best as you can because then, in the future, you will have no regrets as to what might have been.” added Ted Tanner, President of the Oceania Boxing Confederation.

So let us take a look at some of the leading boxers who will be seeking Gold and Silver in China in these brief comments we received from the Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC):

Afghanistan:

“Afghanistan's new woman boxer Diana Nadim will be representing the country in Qianan.

Afghanistan Boxing Federation found a great woman boxer in Europe who has got Afghan roots and decided to fight for the Asian nation in the upcoming Olympic qualification events in Qianan and in Astana. Afghanistan's new Lightweight class (60 kg) boxer Diana Nadim trains in Denmark since her childhood but now she will be fighting for the Asian country to get an Olympic spot to Rio de Janeiro.



Nadim will be competing in the upcoming AIBA Asian & Oceanian Olympic Qualification Event in Qianan, China where she is focusing to get a quota for Afghanistan but her job will be really hard as Asia has got such a great boxers at the Lightweight class (60 kg) like China's Incheon 2014 Asian Games winner Yin Junhua, Tajikistan's London 2012 Olympic Games bronze medallist Mavzuna Chorieva and India's former AIBA Women's World Champion Sarita Devi Laishram”.

Australia:

“Australia’s excellent women’s team includes Commonwealth Games winner Shelley Watts and 2014 Youth Olympic Games bronze medallist Caitlin Parker, while for the men, Daniel Lewis and Joseph Goodall also have the potential to qualify. Watts was extremely impressive in Glasgow 2014 and Caitlin Parker has been in great form in recent years including at the Youth Olympics and in recent tournaments in Oceania.

India:

The Indian squad is a very strong one in both male and female qualifiers as they showed last month when taking all 10 titles at the SEA Games where women competed for the first time :.

Insofar as their females are concerned they proved too strong for all comers. In the absence of a recognised federation, the Indians will once again compete under the flag of the International Boxing Association (AIBA).

“Women's Flyweight class (51 kg):

India's five-times AIBA Women's World Champion Chungneijang Mary Kom Hmangte won the first historical women bout in the South Asian Games and had to meet with Sri Lanka's best woman boxer veteran Anusha Dilrukshi Kodituwakku who eliminated Nepal's Minu Gurung in the semi-finals. Mary Kom was even more focused than in her previous contests and stopped her experienced Sri Lankan rival very quickly which meant besides her many other titles she won the first ever women’s gold medal of the South Asian Games.

Women's Lightweight class (60 kg):

India's former AIBA Women's World Champion 34-year-old Sarita Devi Laishram had to be at her best to beat Nepal's top woman boxer Saraswati Rana in the semi-final but following that she was able to raise her efforts in the final. For the gold she met with Sri Lanka's Viushika Prabadi who moved up two weight classes in the recent years but her strength was too much for Pakistan's newcomer Ruksana Perveen in the semi-finals. Devi won all of the rounds clearly and secured a gold medal in Shillong which is her first international tournament victory since 2014.

Women's Middleweight class (75 kg):

India's ASBC Asian Women's Confederation Boxing Championships silver medallist Pooja Rani was too strong for Pakistan's newcomer Sofiya Javed in the semi-final which contest finished in the opening round. The 24-year-old promising Indian boxer did not give any chance also to Sri Lanka's Nilanthi Andaraweera but the latter’s performance was more than enough get a silver medal in the South Asian Games in Shillong.

Kazakhstan:

“AIBA World Champion Nazym Kyzaybay returned with gold medal at the Kazakhstan Women's National Championships

Kazakhstan Women's National Championships was an important selection event for the upcoming AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships which to be scheduled in Astana between 16-28 May. Their National Championships was also held in Astana to test the venue of the forthcoming big global event. Kazakhstan's top ladies will be taking part also at the AIBA Asian & Oceanian Olympic Qualifying Event in Qianan.

The most important bout was held between Incheon 2014 Asian Games silver medallist Zhaina Shekerbekova and Kazakhstan's first AIBA Women's World Champion Nazym Kyzaybay of Almaty. Shekerbekova defeated her top rival in the recent two national competitions but this time Kyzaybay was able to beat her rival and had revenge in Astana.

Kazakhstan's weak point was the Lightweight class (60 kg) in recent years and the country could not select top boxer in the second Olympic category. Their solution could be AIBA Women's Youth World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Nazym Ishchanova of Atyrau who will be turning to 19 but she is ready to get big results in the upcoming competitions. The talented boxer defeated Rimma Volosenko in the final.

ASBC Asian Women's Champion Dariga Shakimova of Almaty is a big favourite for the quota in the upcoming Qualifiers therefore her success at the Middleweight class (75 kg) was an expected result in the Kazakhstan Women's National Championships. Her final opponent was Fariza Shaltay who moved down one weight class but could not stop Shakimova's attacks in Astana.”

Mongolia:

“Mongolia will send twelve boxers to the upcoming AIBA Asian & Oceanian Olympic Qualification Event which will be starting in Qianan, China with its first competition day on March 25. Among the possible 13 weight classes Mongolia does not have boxer only at the Men's Super-Heavyweight class (+91 kg) but all of their key boxers and big talents were involved to the travelling team.

The Mongolian head coach selected three ladies to the Qualification Event where their best female hope will be Incheon 2014 Asian Games bronze medallist Nandintsetseg Myagmardulam at the Flyweight class (51 kg) while Oyungurel Suvderdene (60 kg is also an experienced woman boxer. Their Middleweight class (75 kg) boxer will be 20-year-old Erdenetuya Enkhbaatar who claimed her second national title in January”.

Phillipines:

“Philippines claimed two silver medals in the last edition of the ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships in Bangkok and one runner-up place in the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships in Wulanchabu, China .

Nesthy Petecio was selected as lone woman boxer to fight for Philippines in Qianan who proved better performance than her competitive teammates such as Josie Gabuco and Irish Magno. The 23-year-old Filipino lady moved down to the Olympic Flyweight class (51 kg) but in her original category she is silver medallist from the Jeju 2014 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships and also from the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships”

http://d152tffy3gbaeg.cloudfront.net/2016/03/Venue_PR.jpg = the venue Tangshan Jiujiang Sport Center

AIBA Promo for championships here: http://www.aiba.org/asiaoceania-olympic-qualification-tournament/