NEW DELHI: The International Boxing Association (IBA) Women’s World Boxing Championships got underway on Wednesday, with New Delhi welcoming participants and spectators at the opening ceremony.
The opening ceremony was preceded by the nations’ parade where flag bearers from 65 participating nations were cheered on by the public. An icon of women boxing in India and around the globe, six-time World Champion Mary Kom pronounced the athlete’s oath. Rich Indian culture and tradition were showcased at the podium in front of spectators.
Winning starts
The boxing action itself kicked off Thursday. For India, Nikhat Zareen started the defence of her title with an emphatic RSC (referee stops contest) win over Anakhanim Ismayilova in her opening round. Nikhat won the flyweight Gold at last year’s World Championships, Birmingham 2022. The Indian will take on top-seeded Roumaysa Boualam of Algeria in the second round.
Extending the hosts’ domination further on the opening day, 2021 Asian Championships Bronze medallist Sakshi Chaudhary and Nupur Sheoran also registered emphatic wins with identical 5-0 margins in their respective matches.
Boxers are competing across 12 weight categories at the event, which runs through to 26 March and offer medallists a lucrative prize fund of $2.4 million.
Fans are expected to turn out in force at the 6,000-seat K.D. Jadhav Indoor Hall to support local athletes who will come up against big-name boxers from across the globe.
Algeria’s Imane Khelif, Argentina’s Aldana Florencia Lopez, Brazil’s Beatriz Ferreira and Caroline De Almeida, Colombia’s Ingrit Lorena Valencia Victoria, Italy’s Irma Testa, Kazakhstan’s Karina Ibragimova, Mozambique’s Alcinda Helena Panguana and Rady Adosinda Gramane, Morocco’s Khadija Mardi are among the medallists from the 2022 World Championships who will be going for glory.
Commonwealth Games minimumweight Gold medal-winner Nitu Ghanghas, and Lovlina Borgohain, who won a welterweight Bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games are the other big names representing the host nation.
“For the world’s top women boxers, the waiting is finally over, and there is great excitement as New Delhi prepares to provide a warm welcome as it stages a landmark edition of the IBA Women’s World Championships,” IBA secretary general and CEO George Yerolimpos said Wednesday.
“We are anticipating an exceptionally high standard of competition in New Delhi, given the medal-winners from previous major events who are ready to step into the ring. This is also an outstanding opportunity for the home country’s top boxers to go up against top-tier athletes from across the world as they look to cement India’s reputation as a powerhouse nation in women’s boxing.”
As part of its efforts to champion women athletes and drive the development of women’s boxing, the IBA Women and Sport Conference will also take place on March 24 on the eve of the finals of the championships.
The overarching theme of the conference will be ‘Level Canvas – Equal Opportunities’, with numerous expert speakers lined up to discuss strategies to break down the barriers to women’s participation in sport.
