A marathon program was held on the third competition day of the AIBA Women’s Junior/Youth World Boxing Championships Taipei 2015, with 54 contests taking place at the Xinzhuang Stadium.
On a day of many surprise results, the winners of each match advanced through to the quarter-finals, where they are only one step away from achieving a guaranteed bronze medal in Taipei.
Bout of the day
England’s EUBC European Women’s Junior Continental Champion Ebonie Jones has won every bout she has competed in since September 2013, and her undefeated streak continued with her second win of the Championships.
Her opponent on Day 3 was Russia’s EUBC European Women’s Youth Continental Champion Geliusa Galiyeva, who arrived in Taipei as a gold medal contender with her own winning record lasting since November 2013.
Due to the phenomenal recent success of both boxers, this was a highly anticipated match, and Jones began with powerful attacks and great speed.
Galiyeva rallied well in round two, but Jones resumed her momentum in the third frame, and ultimately claimed one of the biggest wins of her career.
Team of the day
Host nation Chinese Taipei lost all of their contests on the first two competition days, but delighted the home crowd by improving their performance on Day 3.
The experienced Lo Chin Ting secured their opening victory with a wonderful result over 2013 AIBA Women’s Junior World Boxing Championships bronze medalist Roberta Bonatti, before 18-year-old Flyweight class (51 kg) Huang Hsiao Wen used her height advantage superbly against Mongolia’s Erdenebat Nyamsuren to earn a valuable win.
Huang also displayed her power in front of an appreciative local crowd as she knocked her Mongolian opponent three times, before the referee stopped the match before the final bell.
Surprises of the day
Switzerland’s Eliana Pileggi delivered the first major surprise of Day 3, as the 16-year-old Pinweight (46 kg) fighter eliminated China’s Junior National Champion Zhang Shuo.
Tajikistan’s Dushanbe Junior Tournament winner Sumaiya Kosimova is taking part in her first competition outside of her country, but despite a lack of international experience she defeated Poland’s promising Roza Asanowicz by split decision.
This result was Tajikistan’s first ever triumph in the AIBA Women’s Junior/Youth World Boxing Championships.
Mongolia’s Junior National Champion Enkhjargal Munguntsetseg continued the upsets as she became the first boxer in Taipei to defeat a Russian boxer when she outpointed Ekaterina Molchanova.
The Russian boxer began strongly and took the lead after round one, before a change of tactics from Munguntsetseg saw the Mongolian athlete dominate the rest of the contest.
Ireland’s Niamh Earley won the Golden Girl Women’s Junior Cup in Boras in Sweden in January, but she had to meet with Russia’s EUBC European Women’s Junior Continental Champion Anna Krasnoperova in the opening preliminary round of the Junior Light Bantamweight class (52 kg).
Earley was not overawed by her decorated opponent, and was named the winner of a narrow bout which eliminated the gold medal favourite of the weight class.
Ones to watch
Kazakhstan’s Women’s Junior National Champion Zhazira Urakbayeva opened her competition against Chinese Taipei’s southpaw 15-year-old Chen Tzu Hsuan, and impressed with a strong finish to the match which enabled her to advance to the latter stages of the competition.
Heaven Garcia is an exciting American boxing prospect, and lived up to her reputation with a highly skilled performance in her bout with Ireland’s Shauna Blaney.
The 15-year-old US boxer utilised a tight defence mixed with many successful attacks, and her win signifies her standing as one of the favourites for gold at Junior Light Flyweight (48 kg).
Another American with medal aspirations is Junior National Champion and Junior National Olympiad Pauline Viesca, who began her tournament with an entertaining win over Kazakhstan’s Akniyet Abdigozha.
Hungary’s Queen’s Women’s Junior Cup silver medallist Angela Nagy only began boxing last year, but showcased her amazing potential with a victory over Lin Chiao Ling.
Nagy seized on an apparent lack of confidence from her opponent at the beginning of the fight, and knocked her down to the canvas early.
After a second knockdown in round two, the referee stopped the bout, and Nagy is a very dangerous boxer for anyone to face as the competition progresses.
Fact of the day
The European and the Asian boxers continued their winning path in Taipei, where the United States of America and the Dominican Republic also achieved remarkable performances on Day 3.
Among the developing boxing nations, Algeria, Chinese Taipei, Dominican Republic, Mongolia, Switzerland, Tajikistan and Vietnam all won at least one match in the event.
Quote of the day
“I am very happy that I was able to win my opening contest against the tough Italian boxer in my home city. In the beginning, I used my regular punching style, but I felt suddenly exhausted due the intensity of this hard bout. I had to change my tactics in the final round where I moved less, and this switch was enough for me to win the contest,” said Chinese Taipei’s Lo Ching Ting after her match against Italy’s Roberta Bonatti.
Tomorrow’s program
The fourth competition day of the AIBA Women’s Junior/Youth World Boxing Championships Taipei 2015 will decide who will earn guaranteed medals in the event, as the first stage of the quarter-finals are scheduled.
21 Junior bouts open Day 4 where one of the most anticipated bouts will be held between Russia’s Liudmila Vorontsova and India’s Ani Lama in the Featherweight class (57 kg), while 30 Youth bouts are scheduled for the evening session.
Zheng Lu beats Chen Nien Chin in the AIBA Women’s Junior/Youth World Boxing Championships Taipei 2015
The first quarter-finals stage of the AIBA Women’s Junior/Youth World Boxing Championships Taipei 2015 was held today at the Xinzhuang Stadium, where many winners on Day 4 advanced through to the semi-finals stage of the competition, and earned a guaranteed bronze medal in the process.
Bout of the day
Chinese Taipei’s Chen Nien Chin began these Championships as one of the biggest gold medal hopes for her country after winning major medals in the 2013 AIBA Women’s Junior World Boxing Championships, and the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games.
High expectations surrounded Chin to win the Youth Middleweight class (75 kg) in front of a home audience, and her first opponent in Taipei was Zheng Lu, who had replaced Chen Simin in the Chinese squad just before this competition started.
Chin began their contest well with accurate punches breaking the defence of her opponent, but as the fight progressed, Lu improved immensely, and her energy and determination enabled her to control the rest of the rounds.
The final verdict of a hugely entertaining and meaningful contest was a split decision success for Zheng Lu, who delivered the biggest surprise so far of the AIBA Women’s Junior/Youth World Boxing Championships Taipei 2015.
Team of the day
The United States of America had an excellent day in Taipei, beginning with Heaven Garcia who dominated her quarter-final contest with Nepal’s ‘AIBA Road to Taipei Program’ member Kusum Tamang.
Garcia was far too powerful for her tough opponent, and her lethal punches caused the fight to be stopped in round two.
US Women’s Junior National Champion Zhane Crockett then defeated Ireland’s Orla Garvey in a ferocious battle, before Yarisel Ramirez also advanced to the semi-finals in Taipei.
The American victories kept coming as Ariel Arismendez eliminated Thailand’s Rewadee Phonok from the Youth Light Welterweight class (64 kg), while Iesha Kenney stopped Canada’s Taylor Ross.
Surprises of the day
England’s EUBC European Women’s Junior Continental Champion Ebonie Jones lost her first match since September 2013 in Taipei as she was defeated by Korea’s Lee Suk Yeong, while Russia’s Junior National Champion Anastasia Selina was shocked by US Junior National Champion Yarisel Ramirez.
Selina opened with effective punches in the first round, but the 16-year-old US hope did not give up their battle easily, and eventually defeated the main gold medal contender of the Junior Bantamweight class (54 kg).
Despite being a newcomer in Kazakhstan’s national team, Guzal Sadykova is proving her skills at international level, and the 15-year-old Middleweight class (75 kg) boxer earned a guaranteed medal after knocking down and beating Poland’s EUBC European Women’s Junior Continental Championships silver medallist Weronika Plawecka.
Ones to watch
Russia’s two-time Junior National Champion Liudmila Vorontsova defeated India’s Ani Lama in the Nations Women’s Junior Cup four months ago, and excelled in their rematch as well.
Lama could not compete with the onslaught of Vorontsova, who displayed her power by knocking down her Indian opponent in the opening round.
The Russian star continued the pressure in round two, and her aggressive style saw the referee stop the bout in the second frame.
China’s Yu Lisai celebrated her 15th birthday in March, and arrived in Taipei with an undefeated record, which continues in this tournament after an impressive victory over Chinese Taipei’s two-time National Champion Shao Yi Yun.
Stat/Fact of the day
After the fourth competition day of the AIBA Women’s Junior/Youth World Boxing Championships Taipei 2015, the following nations have earned guaranteed medals:
Kazakhstan: 9 medals
Russia: 8 medals
United States of America: 4 medals
China, India, Mongolia: 3 medals
Poland, Thailand, Turkey, Ukraine: 2 medals
Azerbaijan, Chinese Taipei, Dominican Republic, Hungary, Ireland, Korea: 1 medal
Quote of the day
“I felt really good and confident today. My Nepali opponent tried to achieve her rhythm, but I did not let her get it. In the semi-finals I hope I can follow whatever my coach tells me and get that win as well. Of course my target is to win the gold medal in Taipei, and to take it back home,” said US Junior hope Heaven Garcia after her quick victory on Day 4.
