A total number of 14 nations have guaranteed the medals of the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships in NIš, Serbia after the quarter-final stage ended on Thursday.

Russia heads the list with 7 semi-finalists, followed by Kazakhstan, Serbia and Türkiye with 6 boxers each, and China will be represented with 5 athletes.

Sisters Lisa and Aoife O’Rourke secured medals for Ireland, having achieved the rare feat of siblings winning medals at the same IBA World Championships, as both look to make the finals tomorrow.

Lisa O’Rourke came in as one of the favourites in the 70kg tournament, having won World gold in 2022 in Istanbul. To guarantee a spot on the podium again, she had to defeat Morocco’s Saida Lahmidi. O’Rourke did not look fazed by her opponent, cruising to a unanimous decision verdict. She set up a semi-final contest with Kazakhstan’s Asian champion Natalya Bogdanova, who worked hard in the third round to defeat Serbia’s Milena Matovic.

On the other side of the draw, Russian Elena Gapeshina won by a unanimous decision against Turkish boxer, Sema Caliskan, a two-time World bronze medallist. This sets up a final-four match-up against Aryna Danilchyk of Belarus, the victor over Vietnam’s Ngoc Mai Hoang.

Sisters seek silverware in Niš

Aoife O’Rourke is a three-time European champion but had never tasted silverware at World level. Prior to the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships, she played down her chances of winning a medal suggesting ‘I wouldn’t call myself one of the favorites,’ in an interview with IBA.

However, she showed her quality through her bout with Aziza Zokirova from Uzbekistan, winning by a 4-1 split decision. In the 75kg semi-finals, she faces Serbia’s Nikolina Gajic, who came back from losing the first round and dealing with a deduction to defeat Kazakhstan’s Nadezhda Ryabets. Also through in the weight category was Russia’s Anastasiia Shamonova, who comfortably progressed past Amalia Nita of Romania by a unanimous decision; and next faces former World champion Wang Lina of China, who stopped IBA-Nigeria’s Patricia Mbata.

Kazakhstan’s two-time World champion Nazym Kyzaibay looked incredibly impressive in her 48kg victory over Tayonis Cedeño from Venezuela by referee’s stoppage. Previously, Cedeño had looked promising in her past two bouts, but the Olympic bronze medallist was another step up for her. Three counts led to the referee waving off the contest in the third round, denying the South American country a first World medal. For a place in the final, Kyzaibay must defeat Hong Kyong Ryong of Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, who defeated Bulgarian Sevda Asenova.

Top seed and Asian champion Farzona Fozilova of Uzbekistan advanced with ease too, winning by a unanimous decision over Anakhanim Ismayilova from Azerbaijan. She meets Russian Iuliia Chumgalakova, the victor by a unanimous decision over Rabab Cheddar of Morocco.

Buse Naz Cakiroglu of Türkiye won after less than two minutes by referee’s stoppage to progress to the 52kg semi-finals at the expense of IBA-Mongolia’s Arinzul Chinabat. The two-time Olympic silver medallist and 2022 World champion next faces home favorite Dragana Jovanovic from Serbia, who defeated Venelina Poptoleva from Bulgaria by a unanimous decision.

In the other ring, Feruza Kazakova, another Asian champion from Uzbekistan, claimed victory comfortably over Imane El Azami from Morocco. DPR of Korea’s Olympic medallist and 2018 World champion Pang Chol Mi eliminated Russian Anna Aedma, putting herself into the semi-finals.

Top seed and three-time World medallist Karina Ibragimova of Kazakhstan suffered a defeat to Cai Yan of China in the 57kg weight category, meaning she will not obtain a fourth medal or that elusive World title. The final round ensured the Chinese boxer extended her advantage, much to the disappointment of the favorite. Cai must face Punrawee Ruenros of Thailand – who defeated the Chinese in last year’s Asian Boxing Championships. Ruenros ended the run of Mugona Samadova of Tajikistan by a split decision verdict.

Serbian Andela Brankovic’s run continued with a unanimous-decision win over Nigina Uktamova from Uzbekistan, and now to get to the very top she must defeat Türkiye’s Esra Yildiz Kahraman, who won by the same verdict over Venezuela’s Diana Maestre.

Thai top seed Thananya Somnuek eased into the 63kg semi-finals with a dominant victory by referee’s stoppage in the third round over Miriam Hernandez Gonzalez of Mexico. The Asian bronze medallist will fight Thi Linh Ha of Vietnam, who won by a split decision, denying Latvia its first World medal via Jekaterina Sorokina.

Elena Babicheva of Russia looked on her way to victory, but did not win the way she would have liked – as her opponent Megan de Cler of IBA-Netherlands, suffered a serious injury in the third round which caused the contest to end by referee’s stoppage. Babicheva faces Aida Abikeyeva of Kazakhstan for a place in the final. Abikeyeva, the Asian champion, defeated Turkish boxer Esmanur Lok by a unanimous decision.

Action continues tomorrow with 24 semi-finals across the 12 weight categories.

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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