(NOV 19) Following Tuesday’s loss
of both Queen Underwood and Alex Love, Wednesday proved to be ‘a
good day at the office for the United States with four wins
including 19 yrs old Olympic Gold medallist Claressa Shields,
who took all of 11 seconds to despatch Uganda’s Hellen Baleke
from this year’s championships.
As always you will find
Julie Goldsticker’s
USA Boxing update here on WBAN with more detailed
information regarding the American boxers including Marlen
Esparza - another fine win today for Marlen.
Photo of Fortin by Raquel Ruiz
For me though the performance of the day came from 30 yrs. old
Canadian, Ariane Fortin who emerged victorious over the highly
experienced Undram Erdenesoyol of Mongolia, silver medallist at
the recent Asian Games in Incheon. More on that one from the
AIBA’s report and Canadian followers are of course also being
updated on the ‘Boxing Canada’ website, and on Social Media,
with regular news from Jeju.
There was a disappointment for Irish medallist hopeful Clare
Grace who suffered a bad cut in her previous bout against
Romania’s Christina Stancu. The Irish coaching team and
management sensibly withdrew the Kilkenny woman to save possible
further damage later as she would have to have several other
fights had she progressed.
On social media and later in communication with WBAN, Clare said, “I had to withdraw from the competition because of a bad cut
over my left eye. It's a nasty cut and was too risky to go into
competition. I'm really disappointed but these things happen.
A huge thanks to the teammates, coaches and everyone for all the
support. And best of luck to Michaela and Katie in the rest of
the competition”. Clare’s withdrawal led to Turkey’s Guluzar
Kara (whom the Irish woman defeated when last they met) through
to the quarter finals.
Tomorrow those team mates, Michaela Walsh and Katie Taylor
continue Ireland’s quest for Gold in Jeju. Michaela is up
against Azerbaijan champion Anna Alimardanova whilst Katie
Taylor meets ‘old’ friend and foe, Finland’s Mira Potkonen, a
winner of many multi-nations tournaments in recent years.
Russia’s Sofya Ochigava faces a stiff task also when she gloves
off against Brazil’s Adriana dos Santos Araujo in the bout that
immediately follows the Potkonen-Taylor clash. Interestingly
AIBA no 3 ranked Chinese champion – and Asian Games winner
Junhua Yin is in action immediately following Ochigava/Araujo so an opportunity for one and all to gauge just how
strong this 60kg division is.
Claressa Shields defeat of Uganda’s Hellen Beleke in 11 seconds
obviously raises concerns re welfare and safety of athletes,
especially those from emerging new boxing nations of which there
are many. Happily the Russian referee stopped the bout after
only 11 seconds therefore saving the brave Ugandan further
punishment but it is undoubtedly a concern for not only AIBA but
also boxers and their coaches, especially with the current
proposals on headguards under consideration.
Only 2 days ago on her Instagram social media account the
charming Olympic Gold medallist, a devout Christian, had
commented as she awaited her first bout: “Dear God! I come to
you and pray before every fight. I pray that you protect me and
my opponent from any serious injuries that can occur during the
fight. I also like to pray that judges and refs are fair and
give the bout to the person that worked the hardest and smartest
for it and in Jesus name I pray Amen!" God loves me and my
opponents “.
Over now to AIBA for the day’s latest news from Jeju.
“The winners of the Flyweight class (51 kg), Welterweight class
(69 kg), Light Heavyweight class (81 kg) and Heavyweight class
(+81 kg) advanced to the quarter-finals in Jeju, Korea on the
fourth competition day of the AIBA Women’s World Boxing
Championships, which means they all need to win just one further
bout for a guaranteed bronze medal.
Bout of the day:
Canada’s two-time AIBA Women’s World Champion Ariane Fortin
defeated her main national level rival, and three-time AIBA
Women's World Champion Mary Spencer to secure her place in the
squad.
The 30-year-old Middleweight class (75 kg) boxer also claimed a
silver medal at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland in
the beginning of August where only England's defending AIBA
Women's World Champion Savannah Marshall was able to stop her in
a narrow final.
She had to meet with Mongolia’s Asian Games silver medallist
Undram Erdenesoyol in Jeju, who was a tough opponent for a first
fight in the Championships.
Fortin controlled the opening round, and used her footwork to
dominate the action, and was sharper in the punch exchanges.
The Mongolian tried to move ahead, but Fortin was quicker and
prevented lot of the attacks, and the Canadian southpaw proved
she is a medal contender in Jeju.
Team of the day
USA’s London 2012 Olympic Games bronze medallist Marlen Esparza
is one of the gold medal contenders of the Flyweight class (51
kg) in Jeju, where she had to meet with Kazakhstan’s Merjen
Ishanguliyeva.
Following her first triumph in the Championships she needed to
be at her very best to advance to the next stage of the event.
Ishanguliyeva was impressive in the opening round, but Esparza
managed to change her tactics, and she improved well as the
fight progressed.
Two-time AMBC American Women’s Continental Champion Danyelle
Wolf and Canada’s Myriam Da Silva have been frequent opponents
in the past, and the US Welterweight class (69 kg) boxer won
their last battle in the final of the AMBC American Women’s
Continental Championships in Guadalajara two months ago, but in
their rematch Wolf was able perform better, and won all of the
rounds in the fight.
London 2012 Olympic Games gold medallist and AIBA Women's Youth
World Champion Claressa Shields is only 19, but she has won all
of the major competitions excluding the AIBA Women's World
Boxing Championships, which she is looking to add to her list in
Jeju.
The US teenager spent only eleven seconds in the ring against
Uganda’s East African Champion Hellen Baleke before the Russian
referee stopped their bout due to the clear dominance of
Shields.
Heidi Henriksen only joined the US squad this year, and
following her successes at the national level she received the
right to fight for the United States in these Championships.
She also had another Ugandan opponent in her match, but Diana
Turyanabo could not get near to her, so therefore Henriksen
managed to secure the fourth triumph for the United States on
Day 4.
Surprises of the day:
Morocco’s African Women’s Cup winner Khadija Mardi is competing
in her first ever AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in
Jeju to raise her experience at the international level, and the
23-year-old boxer, who trains in the club of Energique, had to
meet with Brazil’s South American Games winner Flavia Tereza
Figueiredo who was the favourite in their contest.
Mardi used her height advantage as an effective weapon, and
boxed very well from a longer distance which the Brazilian
Middleweight class (75 kg) struggled with, leading her to lose
to her talented African opponent on Day 4.
Independence Cup winner and South American Games silver
medallist Atheyna Bylon won her opening contest in the AIBA
Women’s World Boxing Championships which was the first ever
triumph for Panama in the history of the event, and the new
sensation surprisingly then went on to beat Wales’ Commonwealth
Games bronze medallist Lauren Price on the fourth competition
day in Jeju.
Hungary’s two-time AIBA Women’s World Champion and defending
EUBC European Women’s Continental Champion Maria Kovacs defeated
Turkey’s Emine Bozduman in the semi-final of the EUBC European
Women’s Continental Championships, and the 33-year-old Hungarian
had to meet with the younger Turkish hope again in Jeju.
Although she began their contest with effective punches, the
22-year-old Turkish southpaw was able to turn up the heat, and
her skills and heart saw her eventually eliminate the main medal
contender of the Heavyweight class (+81 kg).
Ones to watch:
Netherlands’s defending EUBC European Women’s Continental
Champion Nouchka Fontijn is a great prospect in the Middleweight
class (75 kg), and could be competitive rival for US star
Claressa Shields and England’s defending AIBA Women’s World
Champion Savannah Marshall.
She began her Championships against Chinese Taipei’s Flora Dara
Shen who competed in the Incheon 2014 Asian Games, and trains in
the United States.
Fontijn was at her very best in the opening round, and her
frequent jabs and sharp punches were potent enough for the
referee to stop their contest after three minutes.
Sweden’s Love Holgersson was gold medallist at the AIBA Women’s
Youth World Championships in Antalya in 2011, and since then she
moved up to the Middleweight class (75 kg).
She replaced London 2012 Olympian and AIBA Women’s World
Champion Anna Laurell Nash in the national team, and arrived to
Korea with great expectations.
With ample time to acclimatize to the time difference, her first
opponent was against Belarus’ Viktoriya Kebikava, who moved
ahead and tried to control the bout, but the impressive
counter-attacks from Holgersson were more successful, which
resulted in the 21-year-old Swedish boxer winning her debut
match in Jeju.
Stat/Fact of the day
Africa’s two leading women’s boxing nations Egypt and Morocco
both won bouts on Day 4, which shows the development of boxing
in that region.
Quote of the day
“The fight was pretty scrappy but I just wanted to keep the
pressure on my opponent and close the distance down. It worked
for the most part in the bout, and I just need to keep my feet
moving with punches and don’t start throwing too early. I’ll
probably need to do the same thing against my next opponent,
China’s Li Qian. She is a well skilled boxer that will want to
stay long range. I’ll have to shut her space down. I am happy to
get the win today but it was not a memorable one,” said
Australia’s Kaye Scott following her triumph over Azerbaijan’s
EUBC European Continental Championships bronze medallist Leyla
Javadova.
Tomorrow's program
The fifth competition day will decide who will be qualify for
the quarter-finals in the following weight classes: Light
Flyweight class (48 kg), Bantamweight class (54 kg),
Featherweight class (57 kg), Lightweight class (60 kg), Light
Welterweight class (64 kg) and Middleweight class (75 kg).
England’s current AIBA Women’s World Champion Savannah Marshall
will be fighting against Russia’s AIBA Women’s Youth World
Champion Iaroslava Iakushina, which will be one of the most
anticipated battles of Day 5.
Here are today’s full
results from Jeju, courtesy Strefa Poland boxing -
Link
