Day Three at the 7th Women’s World Championships in Qinhuangdao

[By Michael O’Neill]

Today saw the first appearance of ‘Magnificent Mary’, at flyweight, at the 7th AIBA World Boxing Championships in Qinhuangdao as Indian ‘living legend’ and five times AIBA World Champion Chungneijang Mary Kom Hmangte came face to face with Japan’s Asian championships bronze medallist, Ayako Minowa.

In truth it was a one-sided encounter since Mary won their bout as easily as the 20:9 judges verdict suggests. She now meets Norway’s European Championships quarter-finalist 22-year-old Marielle Hansen. Marielle is ‘one for the future’ but it will be a major shock if she defeats Mary Kom.

The United States maintained their 100 percent record when US National Olympic Trials winner and AIBA Women’s World Championships bronze medallist Marlen Esparza defeated Argentina’s multiple Pan-American Champion Pamela Paola Benavides 20:10 . Next up for Esparza, is Vietnam’s 19-year-old Luu Thi Duyen .

The no. 1 seed was also in action Sunday when two-time AIBA World Champion and Asian Games titleholder, Ren Cancan from China scored an impressive 16 : 4 win in front of her home fans as she eliminated Hungary’s EU Championships silver medallist Katalin Ancsin ,also at flyweight.

For Russia, Elena Savelyeva was another who won with something to spare when she met and defeated Chinese Taipei’s Pin Meng Chieh . As the bell tolled at end of round two Savelyeva led by 12:7 and she continued to dominate to the end against a gallant but overwhelmed Asian rival, 19:8 being the declared score.

Victory also for Ireland’s Ceire Smith, who boxes out of the Cavan BC under trainer Brian McKeown. This was the 20 years old‘s second win in two days as she overcame Jamaica’s Sarah-Joy Rae 12:4. In the Irish corner today were Peter Taylor – coach and father of Katie – and Zuar Antia and certainly Ceire carried out their instructions to the letter.

The number two seed in this weight division is Great Britain’s Nicola Adams and she too had an impressive second victory of the tournament overcoming Bulgaria’s Yana Levankova 19:7. Adams again demonstrated why she is one of the favourites for the title and now meets Venezuela’s Pan-American Champion Karla Magliocco in the last 16.

Astana International Tournament winner Azize Nimani was born in Kosovo but is fighting for Germany in the Olympic flyweight class. The 21-year-old won each of her contests until the 2010 AIBA Women’s World Championships in Bridgetown where she lost her first ever bout. Nimani continued her excellent winning series in Qinhuangdao as well where she turned back the fight against a favourite, Finland’s AIBA World Championships bronze medallist experienced Hanne Maekinen.

European Championships silver medallist Sarah Ourahmoune is a member of the French national squad since 2001 and these experiences resulted to her a victory over Ukraine’s former European Champion Tatyana Kob. The 30-year-old French boxer dominated the fight and advanced to the last 16 eliminating her seeded opponent.

Bulgaria’s European Championships bronze medallist and EU Champion Stoyka Petrova is on the right way to the London Olympic Games. She has eliminated a strong Asian rival, Thailand’s Peamwilai Laopeam in the first round and following that success, Petrova triumphed over Italy’s best hope, Valeria Calabrese in the next round.

France’s EU Championships silver medallist 25-year-old Delphine Mancini who is member of the national team since 2005, shocked the Turkish ringside and fans in Qinhuangdao. The French bantamweight boxer controlled her opening fight against Turkey’s European Championships bronze medallist strong Ayse Tas and had six points advantage before the final gong. The Istanbul-based Turkish boxer tried to turn back the fight and made an incredible last round but her efforts were not enough to win the bout therefore Mancini eliminated the Seed No.1.

Poland’s European Championships silver medallist Sandra Drabik could not secure her place in the Olympic flyweight class therefore she has decided to move up into the bantamweight division. The powerful Polish boxer did not give too many chances to Afghanistan’s Dushanbe International Tournament silver medallist Sadaf Rahimi and the referee stopped their unequal contest very quickly.

In the light flyweight division China’s President’s Cup winner 20-year-old Xu Shiqi who replaced Luo Yujie just before the tournament, started her competition and saved the host nation’s perfect balance. The young Chinese boxer outpointed Sweden’s Turkish Prime Ministry Tournament silver medallist Elin Roennlund in the first round and finally she could celebrate her advance winning the bout by 12:5. Xu Shiqi’s next opponent will be Wales’ European Championships silver medallist Lynsey Holdaway who was seeded as No.1.

Romania’s European Championships silver medallist Lidia Ion moved down into the light flyweight class following her loss at the National Cup in the Olympic 51kg. The experienced boxer had to use up all of her skills to beat Tajikistan’s 22-year-old Matluba Karimova who had less international contests in her career.

Poland’s former European Youth Champion 20-year-old Magdalena Stelmach’s skills and boxing knowledge extremely developed in the last one year therefore her great show against Venezuela’s Nurys Silvera was not a surprise. The referee stopped the contest in the third round when Stelmach led by 15:3 against her South American opponent.

Russia’s former European Youth Champion 22-year-old Daria Abramova secured the right at the very first time to represent her strong nation in Qinhuangdao. Her first rival was France’s European Championships quarter-finalist Laetitia Chevalier but the Russian boxer won their contest in the easier way than expected before the bout.

Netherlands’ current European Champion veteran Marichelle De Jong who was seeded as welterweight No.1 in Qinhuangdao, defeated the second Indian boxer in the competition. Her Asian opponent, National Games winner Neetu Chahal led by 2:1 after two minutes but De Jong stepped up to the gas and her efforts were enough to beat the Indian fighter. The Dutch boxer became the first in the event in China who could secure her place in the quarter-final stage of the championships.

US National Champion Raquel Miller,who began boxing only in 2010, fought for the last eight against Canada’s current Pan-American Champion Myriam Da Silva at the welterweight class. They met each other at the AMBC’s Continental Championships in Cornwall in March where the Canadian boxer won their narrow contest with one point difference. In Qinhuangdao the US competitor was able to strike back to her opponent and advanced to the quarter-final winning the equal bout by accepted scores.

China’s current Asian Champion 19-year-old Wang Dongmei finalized the perfect day for the host nation following her easy success over Sri Lanka’s Asian Championships bronze medallist Dapana Durage Shiromali Weerarathna. Wang’s next opponent in the quarter-final will be Russia’s former European Champion Irina Poteyeva who eliminated Wales’ 18-year-old Lauren Price in a narrow battle”

Monday sees the much looked forward to ‘battle royal’ between Claressa Shields (USA) and Great Britain’s Savannah Marshall whilst Ireland’s Katie Taylor begins the defence of her 60kg lightweight crown against Tunisia’s Rim Juini, a bronze medallist in the 57kg class in Barbados 2010. A great day’s boxing in store then Monday – and indeed for the rest of the week.

Sunday’s results – and/or Monday’s draws – for the Olympic weight events are here on aiba.org – 49-51kg, 60kg, and 75kg.