(AUGUST 11)  A busy time for women's boxing as no sooner had the PanAmerican event finished in Toronto than all eyes were focused on Wulanchabu,China where the ASBC Asian Confederation championships have now reached the semi-final stages.

Seventeen nations are taking part in the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Continental Championships, with nearly 100 boxers registered.

China, India, Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan have all sent the maximum number of ten boxers to Wulanchabu, while Afghanistan, DPR Korea, Japan, Korea, Mongolia, Philippines, Tajikistan, Thailand and Vietnam also compete with strong delegations.

Those semi-finals take place on Wednesday so let us take a look at who will be competing at that stage and which countries do they represent. This update from the ASBC's team in China:


"The host nation has got eight semi-finalists; India has got six boxers remaining ,while DPR Korea has got five guaranteed medallists. Kazakhstan and rising power Uzbekistan both have secured four podium places in Wulanchabu.

Bantamweight class (54 kg):

Kazakhstan’s Rano Parkhatova replaced AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships quarter-finalist Dina Zholaman in the national team and opened with a great success in the first preliminary round. The 23-year-old Kazakh boxer had to meet with Thailand’s former Asian Indoor Games winner Peamwilai Laopeam who is one of the veterans of the competition in Wulanchabu. The Kazakh boxer began the bout better but Laopeam had enough routine to solve that tactical issue and won their narrow bout.

Mongolia’s Myagmar Gundegmaa developed well enough in the past two years in all tactical and physical elements and arrived to Wulanchabu as favourite. The Mongolian boxer had to face Tajikistan’s Rukhshona Rakhmonzoda who won their National Championships and also the Dushanbe City Cup. The 25-year-old Mongolian knocked down her Central Asian opponent and following that the Filipino referee stopped their contest in the second round.

Philippines’ AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships silver medallist Nesthy Petecio was their last remained boxer in Wulanchabu. She suffered a surprise loss in the Southeast Asian Games in June but she arrived to the venue with strong mind and body. The 23-year-old Filipino boxer, who is member of the national team since 2009, opened her competition against Japan’s young boxer Sana Kawano. Petecio dominated her bout and secured a guaranteed medal for the Philippines.

China’s Liu Piaopiao took part in several international competitions in 2015 and attended in the international training camps but she was in good shape against India’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships competitor Maisnam Meena Kumari Devi. The Chinese boxer was could not realize her tactic and surprisingly she lost the contest on home soil.

Featherweight class (57 kg):

China's Youth National Champion 19-year-old Gao Meiling eliminated Philippines' Riza Pasuit in a close bout and she had to meet with Uzbekistan's Ismoil Hamzaaliyev Memorial Tournament silver medallist Yodgor Mirzoyeva who is a promising athlete in women's boxing. The two teenagers had a spectacular bout in Wulanchabu where a second Chinese boxer was eliminated. The final verdict was unanimous decision to Mirzoyeva.

DPR Korea's Ri Kwang Suk is member of their national squad since 2005 therefore her experiences were in totally different level than Afghanistan’s Farzona Unabi who trains in Kabul and competed in her first international event. The North Korean veteran dominated the bout from the first seconds and due the big difference the Japanese referee stopped their unequal contest.

Kazakhstan's Zhanna Baskayeva won her first national title this year and received the right to show her skills in a big tournament. Her quarter-final opponent was India’s President’s Cup bronze medallist Pwilao Basumatary who had a wonderful youth career. The Indian boxer’s tactic was based on her footwork and after the equal round she found the best fighting distance in their bout which resulted a narrow triumph for Basumatary.

Thailand's AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Tassamalee Thongjan defeated Vietnam's AIBA Women's Junior World Champion 19-year-old Vuong Thi Vy in the preliminaries and fought for the guaranteed medal with Mongolia’s Nergui Oyun-Erdene. Thongjan was the experienced boxer while the 21-year-old Mongolian tried to move more in their bout but her efforts were not enough to beat the Thai veteran.

Lightweight class (60 kg):

Korea's National Sports Festival winner Oh Yeon Ji eliminated India's Priyanka Chaudhary in the opening preliminary round and met with Mongolia’s Oyungurel Suvderdene for the guaranteed medal. Both boxers have had many international bouts and did a spectacular bout on the fourth competition day. The Korean boxer had more effective punches in the second part of their contest and advanced to the semi-finals.

China’s Incheon 2014 Asian Games winner Yin Junhua began boxing only in 2009 but she is a native talent in our sport. The host nation’s pride had to meet with Chinese Taipei’s Chen Wen Ling in the quarter-finals which was her first bout in Wulanchabu. The 25-year-old boxer had different rhythm and great footwork which meant Yin Junhua could do it better than her Chinese teammates on Day 4.

Vietnam’s Incheon 2014 Asian Games bronze medallist Luu Thi Duyen is their spearhead in boxing who reached the level of the top boxers in the recent two years. The 22-year-old Vietnamese lady had to face with DPR Korea’s Ri Tong Sun who is also a competitive boxer in the Olympic weight class. Luu tried to keep the distance but the North Korean boxer was able to reduce their range and eliminated Vietnam’s No.1.

Tajikistan's London 2012 Olympic Games bronze medallist and AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Mavzuna Chorieva dominated her opening bout against Sri Lanka's Kasthuri Arachchige Keshani Hansika and tried to repeat at least that performance against Uzbekistan’s Makhfuzakhon Ergasheva. Chorieva won all of the rounds against her younger rival and secured Tajikistan’s second medal in Wulanchabu.

Middleweight class (75 kg):

China’s Li Qian lost to DPR Korea’s Jang Un Hui in the final of the Incheon 2014 Asian Games which was a big surprise one year ago. The Chinese boxer claimed another silver medal at the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in Jeju and planned to use different tactic against Jang. Li Qian lives and trains in the Inner Mongolian region of China which meant she could box in absolutely home soil. The Chinese boxer found the best fighting distance and her counter-attacks reached the target several times. She was able to reverse her previous loss here in Wulanchabu.

A real battle followed between Mongolia’s Erdenetuya Enkhbaatar and Korea’s National Sports Festival winner Seong Su Yeon. The final verdict of their bout was unanimous decision to Seong which means she is also a medallist in the event. In the final bout of the fourth competition day Kazakhstan’s former ASBC Asian Women’s Continental Champion Dariga Shakimova worked more than Uzbekistan’s Nafisakhon Askarova and secured her place in the semi-finals.


In the preliminary round the 'big shock' was the defeat of India's Pinki Jangra Rani (who is replacing the injured Mary Kom) at the hands of Japan's Ayako Minowa in the up to 51kg Olympic weight whilst 2012 world champion and 4-time SEA Games gold medalist Josie Gabuco lost the decision against the host nation's Naiyan exclaiming: "I thought I delivered the more effective blows, the only time she hurt me was in the third round when she caught me with a wayward hook. But otherwise, I thought I had the edge. Obviously, the judges thought differently".


Our thanks to ASBC and the AIBA - great to see the women's sport thriving in Asia.




History of the Championships

The first edition of the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Continental Championships was held in Bangkok, Thailand in 2001 before the inaugural AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships.

DPR Korea won the team rankings in the historic first edition, while since then India, China and Kazakhstan have achieved the same milestone in recent editions of the world class competition.

Titleholders from the last edition in 2012

48 kg: Bolortuul Tumurkhuyag, Mongolia
51 kg: Chungneijang Mary Kom Hmangte, India
54 kg: Liu Kejia, China
57 kg: Tassamalee Thongjan, Thailand
60 kg: Sarita Devi Laishram, India
64 kg: Erdenesoyol Uyanga, Mongolia
69 kg: Wang Dongmei, China
75 kg: Li Jinzi. China
81 kg: Yuan Meiqing, China
+81 kg: Li Yunfei, China