Seven countries such as India, Kazakhstan, Vietnam, Japan, South Korea, Uzbekistan and Chinese Taipei earned gold medals in the women’s finals of the ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships in Amman, Jordan. The Chairwoman of the IBA Athletes’ Committee Lovlina Borgohain earned her first Asian title and made a strong debut in her new weight class.

The ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships to be continued with the men’s finals on Saturday.

Japanese 22-year-old Rinka Kinoshita reached her career highlight

Indian Minakshi is a newcomer in the elite national team but she proved her excellent technical skills in the selections and preparation events. The tall Indian tried to keep her distance against Japan’s Youth World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Rinka Kinoshita but her opponent had energetic shots in the first round. The 22-year-old Japanese looked confident and highly motivated in this fight and four out of the five judges favored her after one round. The Japanese southpaw felt the rhythm in the second round as well and she increased her advantage into a safe one to win her first ever Asian elite title.

“I felt in the first round that I can make it and I am so grateful to my coaches that I am Asian Champion after so many years of hard work,” said  Rinka Kinoshita, the new champion of the flyweight (52kg).

Shekerbekova won her next Asian title after 12 years of hiatus

Kazakhstanian veteran Zhaina Shekerbekova moved up to the bantamweight (54kg) a few months ago after she spent 13 years in the smaller categories. The 33-year-old Kazakh tried to get closer to the younger Thai who earned a silver medal at the annual IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships. Shekerbekova’s pressure was effective in the first round but Jitpong used her double combinations better in the second. The 24-year-old Thai found the target in the middle of the contest still in time to get herself a chance to win her first Asian final. Shekerbekova regained control in the third round. The experienced Kazakh athlete won her first Asian title in 2010 and after twelve years of break, she returned to the top of the continent. Her teammate, Karina Ibragimova won the featherweight (57kg) after beating Sena Irie from Japanl.

“The first round was excellent, I worked a lot to find the best distance and it worked well. I had some problems in the second round but I was able to perform better again to win this tough final,” said Zhaina Shekerbekova.

Oh Yeon Ji earned her third Asian gold medal

Oh Yeon Ji from South Korea won the ASBC Asian Women’s Boxing Championships in 2017 and in 2019. The 32-year-old South Korean was patient in the first round against Mongolia’s new sensation, Nomin-Erdene Tugsjargal and she was waiting for the best counter-attacking moments. Both boxers had very similar fighting styles and despite her young age, the 19-year-old Mongolian looked also smart in this lightweight (60kg) final bout. Oh was better in the most important moments and she earned her third Asian title during her career.

“It was an easier contest than I expected and I am so happy that I bagged my third Asian Championships’ title,” added Oh Yeon Ji after the final.

Chen Nien Chin earned a gold medal for Chinese Taipei

Following Navbakhor Khamidova’s gold medal, Chen Nien Chin from Chinese Taipei  knew her final opponent at the light middleweight (70kg), Baison Manikon from Thailand, the gold medallist from the 2019 ASBC Asian Youth Boxing Championships. The 2018 World Champion Chen started their final bout better and landed the quicker shots therefore the judges favored the boxer from Chinese Taipei after three minutes. The 21-year-old Thai moved forward more but stepped into Chen’s best range several times and she was not able to change the result of the bout. Chen defeated her rival in the final of the Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament and she repeated that performance in Amman as well earning her first Asian title.

“I was waiting for this Asian gold medal for so long and finally I could make it. I defeated the Thai girl in Phuket this April but I used my footwork much better this time. Manikon is a patient boxer and to beat her I had to do my best. The family is so excited at home and we are planning a celebration together,” said Chen Nien Chin who conquered Asia after her World title.

Borgohain reached the Asian throne for the first time.

Lovlina Borgohain from India earned plenty of silver and bronze medals in the major championships in the recent nearly one decade but the gold was missing in her collection. She moved up to the middleweight (75kg) and defeated her main rival, Kazakhstanian Valentina Khalzova already in the quarter-finals. The 25-year-old Indian landed a tough punch already in the first round and the referee from Chinese Taipei countered her final opponent, Sokhiba Ruzmetova from Uzbekistan. The 20-year-old Uzbek proved an excellent comeback in the semi-finals but the Chairwoman of the IBA Athletes’ Committee was too experienced and strong for her.

“I won several medals in my career but it has just increased my motivation to get a gold finally. My first bout was the most difficult in Amman but my Uzbek opponent is also a very talented girl with strong punches. I will continue my training immediately when we go back to India to prepare well for the national event and the Women’s World Boxing Championships,” added Lovlina Borgohain, the winner of the women’s middleweight (75kg).

The list of the winners at the ASBC Asian Women’s Boxing Championships

48kg: Alua Balkybekova, Kazakhstan

50kg: Nguyen Thi Tam, Vietnam

52kg: Rinka Kinoshita, Japan

54kg: Zhaina Shekerbekova, Kazakhstan

57kg: Karin Ibragimova, Kazakhstan

60kg: Oh Yeon Ji, South Korea

63kg: Parveen Hooda, India

66kg: Navbakhor Khamidova, Uzbekistan

70kg: Chen Nien Chin, Chinese Taipei

75kg: Lovlina Borgohain, India

81kg: Saweety Boora, India

+81kg: Alfiya Tarannum Akram Khan Pathan, India

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