Katie Taylor Qualified for Olympic Games…But Clearly wants more

[By Michael O’Neill]

Katie Taylor has already qualified for the Olympic Games but has made it quite clear that she dearly wants to go to the ExCeL Centre as the World Champion for the fourth time.

On Friday morning (today-timezone in China) she meets the ever improving 19 years old, Mavzuna Chorieva, the Tajikistan champion with the winner destined for Saturday morning’s final against either Russia’s Sofya Ochigava or England’s Natasha Jonas.

Some 305 boxers got between the ropes at this 7th edition of the AIBA Women’s World Championships and now we are down to the last four in each weight division.The three Olympic weights are the ones that will attract most attention this weekend so let us begin with the schedule for these bouts:

51kg: Cancan Ren (China) v Karolina Michalczuk (Poland)

51kg : Elena Savelyeva (Russia) v Nicola Adams (England)

60kg: Katie Taylor (Ireland) v Mavzuna Chorieva (Tajikistan)

60kg: Sofya Ochigava ( Russia) v Natasha Jonas (England)

75kg: Elena Vystropova (Azerbaijan) v Anna Laurell (Sweden)

75kg: Savannah Marshall (England) v. Nadezda Torlopova (Rus)

So who will win and qualify for Saturday’s finals?

The least well known is Chorieva, a highly promising 19 years old from Tajikistan who took silver in the 2012 Asian championships as well as winning her national title.  She took Queen Underwood to a 7:7 tie in the 2010 world’s, only losing on count back.Irish fans will need no reminding how close Taylor came to defeat against Underwood in the semi-final. Chorieva has also defeated China’s Cheng Dong and England’s Amanda Coulson so one for the future.

That said it would be a major upset if she were to deprive Taylor of a place in Saturday’s final.

Ochigava v Jonas will be a great bout which could be decided by a single point.Jonas has been in fine form in 2012. Ochigava has had some convincing wins since her European final 10:5 loss to Taylor in Rotterdam.I go for Ochigava here but if she is at anything other than her very best then we will see the no. 22 ranked Jonas cause an upset.

At 51kg I believe we will see a final between Adams and Cancan Ren and at 75kg feel that the 20 years old Marshall is capable of causing an upset against Torlopova whilst Vystropova may just edge out Anna Laurell who has made a remarkable ‘return to form and caused the upset of the tournament so far by eliminating Mary Spencer.

And finally, Katie Taylor surprised media onlookers at a media briefing by saying that she wanted to see all the top women boxers who lost in China given Tripartite Commission invitation places for London 2012 as the Olympic Games was the right stage to demonstrate to the watching millions worldwide just how far the sport has come. In her own division she hoped that the AIBA would invite such as Queen Underwood and Cheng Dong whilst others who could benefit include Mary Kom, Mary Spencer and Claressa Shiels to name but three.

Will the AIBA take that advice on board? I believe that it will though I also foresee a place for a boxer of an emerging nation such as Afghanistan. A fascinating weekend awaits – join us here for all the news from China.