Ireland’s Lisa O’Rourke started her IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships with a statement of intent, winning by referee’s stoppage at the Čair Sports Center in Niš, Serbia.

The 2022 World champion was the latest boxer from Ireland to take to the ring, having watched many of her teammates narrowly lose their opening contests. O’Rourke, who will be hoping to secure a second World title, was able to deliver an important victory for her team. Her sister Aoife will also be looking to bring home silverware for the family when she gets underway in the 75kg tournament tomorrow in the quarter-finals.

With the quarter-final brackets completed today, all remaining athletes are guaranteed a minimum of $10,000 prize money. Those who win gold, silver and bronze medals will receive $100,000, $50,000 and $25,000 respectively.

Team’s Ireland golden chance

With such a rich boxing pedigree, the Irish team felt they were only being dealt misfortune – with close calls for the likes of Daina Moorehouse and Michaela Walsh – but there was no doubt about the winner today in the 70kg category as the 22-year-old Lisa O’Rourke caused a referee’s stoppage early in the second round, beating Emili Rzayeva from Azerbaijan convincingly.

It means she now meets Morocco’s Saida Lahmidi for a guaranteed medal, who defeated Uzbekistan’s Oysha Toirova with a minute still left on the clock. Also, through on this side of the bracket was Milena Matovic from Serbia, whose unanimous victory against China’s Li Shu sent a roar around the arena. She faces Kazakhstan’s Natalya Bogdanova, who caused a third-round stoppage in her defeat of Dunia Martinez of Spain.

In a meeting of two World medalists, it was Sema Caliskan of Türkiye who defeated top seed Kaye Scott from Australia, setting up another tough test in the form of Elena Gapeshina from Russia, who was a comfortable victor over Zabrina Holmstrom from Sweden. Finally, Ngoc Mai Hoang from Vietnam will meet Aryna Danilchyk of Belarus, after beating Genesis Palma from Venezuela.

The opening contest of the day saw Tayonis Cedeño of Venezuela take one step closer to the podium, convincingly beating Serbian Snezana Siljkovic by a unanimous decision in the 48kg weight category. Known as La Niña de Oro in her native Venezuela, or ‘The Golden Girl’, it brings the star one step closer to making her nickname become a reality. To realise this dream, she faces tough opposition in two-time World champion and Olympic bronze medallist Nazym Kyzaibay from Kazakhstan, who looked menacing throughout her bout with Nicole Durikova from Slovakia, winning in the third round by referee’s stoppage.

Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s Kyong Ryong Hong advanced too, beating Ramona Manea from Romania by referee’s stoppage; and her next opponent is World bronze medallist Sevda Asenova from Bulgaria, who defeated Nurselen Yalgettekin of Türkiye.

Top seed Farzona Fozilova from Uzbekistan convincingly defeated Zhong Xueyan of China and next meets Anakhanim Ismayilova from Azerbaijan. Iuliia Chumgalakova from Russia is through too, looking in full control against Ngoc Linh Chi Ngo from Vietnam; with her quarter-final opponent being Rabab Cheddar from Morocco, the winner over Ingrid Gomez Galicia from Mexico by a split decision.

Kazakhstan’s top seed Karina Ibragimova progressed in the 57kg tournament, prevailing over Colombian Valeria Arboleda Mendoza, and setting up a fascinating contest with Cai Yan of China, who came from behind in the final round to defeat Russian Liudmila Vorontsova. Thai fifth seed Punrawee Ruenros won by a unanimous decision against Hyang Suk Ku from DPR Korea, meaning she next fights Mijgona Samadova of Tajikistan, who caused a referee’s stoppage early into the second round against Pauline Chege from Kenya.

On the other side of the draw, Nigina Uktamova from Uzbekistan and Serbian Andela Brankovic both showed their prowess in their bouts and will meet each other next. Uktamova was on the receiving end of a standing count against Cuba’s Melani Girado Bermudez, teasing the possibility of an upset win and the first for the debuting nation. However, Uktamova replied well, causing three counts onto her opponent and winning the contest by referee’s stoppage in the first round.

Although Brankovic did not end the bout early, her furious pace in her combinations made it a one-way result, defeating Spain’s Jennifer Fernandez Romero. Olympic bronze medallist Esra Yildiz Kahraman of Türkiye was a clear winner by a unanimous decision over Aynur Mikayilova from Azerbaijan and next faces Diana Maestre Marquez from Venezuela, who forced a second-round referee’s stoppage against Brazil’s Yasmim Alves.

End of the road for Cuba on IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships debut

Cuba left the IBA World Championships with their heads held high despite three defeats, performing well in all three bouts. The last of these saw Dayira Mesa lose to Russian third seed Anastasiia Shamonova, who is one of the favorites for gold. Romanian Amalia Nita, the European youth champion narrowly defeated Turkish boxer Yaren Duztas, meaning she will now face the Russian. IBA-Nigeria’s Patricia Mbata will fight Chinese second seed Wang Lina in the next round following victory over Greece’s Vasiliki Stavridou.

Top seed in the 75kg category, Ireland’s Aoife O’Rourke, will start her campaign face Aziza Zokirova in the next round, after the young Uzbek boxer defeated Alina Veber from Belarus. Fourth seed Nikolina Gajic sent the fans home happy from the afternoon session after defeating Keidy Guevara of Venezuela by a unanimous decision. Their quarter-final opponent will be Nadezdhda Ryabets of Kazakhstan.

Turkish top seed Buse Naz Cakiroglu emerged victorious in her opening contest in the 52kg weight category – facing a resolute Wei Sitong of China. Cakiroglu, in her trademark lax stance, perfected a counter-attack display we are used to seeing from the 2022 World champion and Olympic silver medallist. Her next opponent is IBA-Mongolia’s Arinzul Chinabat. Also on this side of the draw is Serbian Dragana Jovanovic, who won by referee’s stoppage in the first round against Lencer Otieno of Kenya, and who will now face Bulgarian Venelina Poptoleva, the winner by a split decision over Mexican Esmeralda Patino Juarez.

Uzbekistan’s Asian champion Feruza Kazakova defeated Stela Hamza of Romania by a unanimous decision, meaning she meets Moroccan Imane El Azami in the quarter-finals, who beat Noelia Gutierrez Salmeron of Spain. DPR Korea’s Pang Chol Mi defeated Vietnam’s Thi To Nhu Tran in the first round of their contest to advance and her next opponent will be Russian Anna Aedma, the victor over Yuliya Apanasovich of Belarus.

IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships 2025 is live-streamed fully on the IBA YouTube channel. All draws, schedules and results are available on IBA website. Photos can be found on IBA Flickr channel.

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Media contacts:

Elena Sobol, Head of Communications and PR, International Boxing Association: elena.sobol@iba.sport

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