• Local organisers and spectators have been praised after the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships drew to a close in New Delhi
• Four Indian boxers scooped gold medals to lift the host country to the top of the medal table, to the delight of the home fans
• The event featured the inaugural IBA Women and Sport Conference, where it was confirmed that prize money for the next edition of the Championships will double

International Boxing Association (IBA) President Umar Kremlev has praised New Delhi after the capital of India wrapped up an enthralling IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships at the weekend.

The event featured thrilling bouts and the groundbreaking new IBA Women and Sport Conference, which will be staged at future major events with the aim of breaking down barriers to participation.

There was plenty to cheer for local boxing fans, with India topping the medal table with a clean sweep of four gold medals over finals weekend thanks to minimumweight Nitu Ghanghas, light flyweight Nikhat Zareen, middleweight Lovlina Borgohain and light heavyweight Saweety Boora.

There was also glory for boxers from six other nations, with a hat-trick of golds for China and one apiece for Brazil, Chinese Taipei, Italy, Morocco and Russia, while a total of 20 countries were represented on the podium across the 12 weight categories.

During the inaugural IBA Women and Sport Conference, the IBA President confirmed that the event’s total prize money of $2.4 million will double for the next edition of the IBA Women’s World Championships, guaranteeing future gold medal-winners $200,000 each.

“This outstanding IBA Women’s World Championships gave us a clear indication of the growing power of women’s boxing in India, as well as the global reach of the sport, with gold medal-winners from no fewer than four continents,” Mr Kremlev said.

“This was a groundbreaking celebration of boxing and women’s sport in India, captured by the action in the ring and out of it, with an excellent launch of the Women and Sport Conference.

“I would like to express my thanks to the local organisers and spectators in New Delhi for hosting such a wonderful event, and I am sure that women’s boxing will go from strength to strength in India, as well as across the globe.”

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