(NOV 24) Claressa Shields
and Katie Taylor, Olympic champions from London 2012, continued
their winning ways in Jeju, as today they saw off the challenges
offered by
Canada’s Ariane Fortin and China’s Junhua Yin respectively.
Sunday’s semi-finals at the Halla Gymnasium in Jeju City also
saw further progress from ‘newcomers’ Sarjubala Shamjetsabam
(45-48kg), Atheyna Bylon(69kg), and Sandy Kelly (64kg). As in
previous days , Julie Goldsticker will bring you all the action
regarding the United States boxers.
Can Shields and Taylor win again in Monday’s finals? For young
Shields, it would be a first World title having been defeated by
Savannah Marshall two years ago in China; for Taylor it would
represent a fifth successive AIBA crown following her previous
Championship wins in New Delhi, Ningbo, Barbados and
Qinhuangdao.
Taylor from Bray, County Wicklow, continued in her bid to equal
Mary Kom’s record five in a row titles, and overcame the
challenge of the Chinese pretender to her crown, Juanhua Yin.
Photo by AIBA (Taylor in Blue)
In a contest at times more akin
to chess, Taylor was well ahead when the bout came to a halt
(TKO4) at end of round three when the Chinese coaches ‘threw in
the towel’.
In fact the lead that Taylor had at the time the bout was called
off did not truly reflect her dominance in the opening rounds.
When needs must and her coaches advise it, Taylor can be very
patient waiting for the right opening to present itself.
The Chinese southpaw had tried hard to combat Taylor’s speed and
agility and did as well as anyone so far in these Worlds.
“She was a tricky opponent. I was really surprised when the
towel got thrown in,” said Taylor. “I had to be very, very
patient out there today, loads of feints.
“Very technical too but as usual it was spot on from the guys.
But I’m delighted to be in another final.”
“It’s a game of patience sometimes against those kinds of
fighters,” she proclaimed. “Your patience and your timing have
to be very good. It was a chess match in there today but a good
performance I think.
“I’m delighted now to be in my fifth World Championship final.”
The Bray woman now meets Yana Allekseevna (former Yana Sydor)
the ex-champion of Ukraine who now represents Azerbaijan,
Boxing England has two through to Monday’s finals. Lisa
Whiteside and Sandy Ryan will seek their first World titles
tomorrow after both won their semi-finals.
Lisa Whiteside unanimously defeated tough Italian, Terry Gordini
and ‘one of the finds of the tournament’ Sandy Ryan overcame
Thailand’s Seesondee Sudaporn.
Lisa said: “I am absolutely thrilled, this really is a dream
come true. I now know that I have one more bout and will be
leaving everything in the ring with no regrets. It has been an
unforgettable experience out here in Korea and again I want to
thank everyone for their support. Bring on tomorrow.”
Sandy said: “Words can't describe how great I am feeling at the
moment. I feel like I am in a huge bubble and it’s a bit
surreal. That said, I am really enjoying it inside the bubble
and am loving my performances. I have felt really comfortable in
the ring this whole week and now feel that I belong at this
level. Can't wait for tomorrow now where I will be looking to
bring back a gold medal.”
Today’s report on the semi-finals day in Jeju, as always, comes
courtesy of the AIBA team in Korea:
“The exciting semi-finals took place today in the AIBA Women's
World Boxing Championships, and Jeju, Korea was treated to a
master class in boxing from each participant.
Both London 2012 Olympic Champions competing in the
Championships made it through to their respective finals, as
Ireland’s Katie Taylor and Claressa Shields of the United States
are both in the hunt for another major honour.
The most successful nation of the semi-finals was Russia, who
have four boxers competing for gold medals.
Bout of the day:
US teenage star Claressa Shields has won the London 2012 Olympic
Games, the 2013 AIBA Women's Youth World Championships, plus the
2012 and 2014 AMBC American Women's Continental Championships,
and is looking to add the only title that is missing from her
collection, an AIBA Women's World Boxing Championship.
The 19-year-old Middleweight class (75 kg) has been undefeated
since May 2012, and continued her winning streak to reach the
final after an engrossing contest against Canada's two-time AIBA
Women's World Champion Ariane Fortin-Brochu.
Fortin-Brochu claimed a silver medal at the Commonwealth Games
in Glasgow in August, but had to settle for bronze in Jeju after
being defeated by Shields, who used her lethal jabs and power to
unsettle her North American rival, who in turn competed strongly
until the end of their absorbing battle.
Shields will now fight for the gold against China's Li Qian who
eliminated Netherlands' EUBC European Women's Continental
Champion Nouchka Fontijn in the second semi-final.
Team of the day:
Among Asia's leading boxing nations, India had two boxers in the
semi-finals and both of them advanced to the finals of the
Championships in Jeju.
Firstly, AIBA Women's Youth World Champion and current National
Champion Shamjetsabam Sarjubala Devi was able to secure her
place in the final of the Light Flyweight class (48 kg)
following her wonderful performance against Thailand's Taipei
City Cup winner 21-year-old Chuthamat Raksat.
Their second final place and victory on Day 7 was delivered by
Saweety Boora, who is competing in her first ever international
competition.
The Light Heavyweight class (81 kg) boxer, who trains in India's
most successful boxing region in Haryana, was too strong for
Ukraine's last remaining boxer, Anastasia Chernokolenko.
Surprises of the day:
Bulgaria's Stanimira Petrova joined their national team in 2012,
and the 23-year-old has achieved her career highlight in
advancing to the final in Jeju.
Her opponent in the last four was Russia's AIBA Women's World
Champion Elena Savelyeva, who began the bout with great
footwork, but her Bulgarian opponent was patient enough to wait
for the best attacking moments in their contest, and eventually
won via split decision.
Following that great win, the Bulgarian Bantamweight class (54
kg) will now meet with Italy's Marzia Davide in the final.
Yana Alekseevna was born in Ukraine but she joined to the
national squad of the Azerbaijan last year, and since then she
won the Women Boxing Days in Hamburg and secured a valuable
silver medal at the Feliks Stamm Memorial Tournament in Warsaw.
The 27-year-old Lightweight class (60 kg) boxer was not at her
best in the first round against France's EUBC European Women's
Continental Championships silver medallist Estelle Mossely, but
a clever change of tactics saw her control the middle part of
the contest using her counter-attacks to stop Mossely's forward
pressure.
Mossely turned up the heat in the final round, but her efforts
were not enough to eliminate Azerbaijan's new sensation in Jeju.
Panama's South American Games silver medallist and Independence
Cup winner Atheyna Bylon was an unknown boxer two years ago, but
the 25-year-old boxer was invited to the 'AIBA Road to Jeju'
program, and there her coaches decided to move down a category
into the Welterweight class (69 kg).
She has already written history in Jeju when she was able to win
Panama's first ever bout in a women’s AIBA Championships, and
she then went on to defeat two further opponents and advanced to
the semi-finals.
Bylon was incredible once again in her bout against Azerbaijan's
AIBA World Championships silver medallist and defending EUBC
European Women's Continental Champion Elena Vystropova, as
Panama's powerhouse able to use her reach superbly well, and the
fairytale continued for her as she won the contest against her
decorated opponent.
Ones to watch:
Italy's Marzia Davide is one of the most experienced athletes in
Korea, and she claimed a silver medal at the 2002 AIBA Women's
World Boxing Championships in Antalya, Turkey.
The 34-year-old Bantamweight class (54 kg) boxer has lost only
one bout over the past 18 months, and won the EUBC European
Women's Continental Championships in Bucharest this June.
Davide was at a different level to her Turkish opponent Ayse Tas,
and 12 years on from her silver medal, the Italian is looking
for a golden opportunity in Jeju.
Ireland's London 2012 Olympic Champion and four-time AIBA
Women's World Champion Katie Taylor walked over to the
semi-final following her main rival Russia's Sofya Ochigava's
injury, and the 28-year-old Lightweight class (60 kg) boxer had
to meet with China's Asian Games winner Yin Junhua in the
semi-finals.
Much of Ireland stops to a standstill when Taylor fights, and
she did not let her passionate fans down as her hooks were
especially potent against an exciting opponent.
The Chinese ringside threw in the towel at the beginning of the
fourth round, and Taylor will now meet Azerbaijan's southpaw
Yana Alekseevna for her fifth gold in a row.
Stat/Fact of the day:
Russia was the most successful nation after the quarter-finals,
and they were able to keep that excellent position following the
twenty semi-finals contests as well.
Hosts Korea secured a historic first bronze medal in the AIBA
Women's World Championships on home soil.
The following nations have boxers in the gold medal bouts:
Russia: 4 boxers
China, England, India, Kazakhstan, United States of America : 2
boxers
Azerbaijan, Bulgaria, Ireland, Italy, Panama, Philippines: 1
boxer
Quotes of the day:
"I am delighted to be in another final. I was surprised that the
towel came in, but it looked like she hurt her hand in the third
round. The plan was just plenty of feints. Sometimes you have to
be really patient against those kind of boxers. These kind of
matches are just like a chess match. It is a game of patience
most of the time. I am looking forward to the challenge
tomorrow," said Ireland's living legend Katie Taylor after her
semi-final triumph over China's technician Yin Junhua.
"I am very happy that I won my fourth bout here in Jeju and I am
in the final of the AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships. My
semi-final opponent, Russia's Elena Savelyeva was a very good
fighter but inside in the ring I knew that I won the close bout.
I will try to do my best against the Italian boxer tomorrow and
hope to get a further triumph in the Championships," commented
Bulgaria's new flag-bearer Stanimira Petrova after her triumph.
Tomorrow's program:
The finals are scheduled for the last competition day of the
AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships in Jeju, Korea on
Monday.
48 kg: Shamjetsabam Sarjubala Devi IND - Nazym Kyzaybay KAZ
51 kg: Marlen Esparza USA - Lisa Whiteside ENG
54 kg: Marzia Davide ITA - Stanimira Petrova BUL
57 kg: Nesthy Petecio PHI - Zinaida Dobrynina RUS
60 kg: Katie Taylor IRL - Yana Alekseevna AZE
64 kg: Anastasia Beliakova, RUS - Sandy Ryan ENG
69 kg: Atheyna Bylon PAN - Saadat Abdullaeva RUS
75 kg: Claressa Shields USA - Li Qian CHN
81 kg: Saweety Boora IND - Yang Xiaoli CHN
+81 kg: Zenfira Magomedaliyeva RUS - Lazzat Kungeybayeva KAZ
Semi-Finals : Session results here:
Link
Complete results – all days:
Link
