AIBA Women’s Junior/Youth World Boxing Championships Taipei 2015: Who are the gold medal contenders?
May 15th, 2015 / All, Taipei 2015
The AIBA Women’s Junior/Youth World Boxing Championships Taipei 2015 begins tomorrow, and we have previewed every weight category in the competition.
It was revealed on Wednesday that the Championships will be open to the public free of charge, so whether you are planning to watch the event at the venue, or you will be following the coverage on www.iba.sport, this guide will enable all boxing fans to determine which boxers are the medal favourites, and who may cause a surprise.
Youth 48 kg:
Russia’s Yuliya Chumgalakova is the favourite of the Youth Light Flyweight class (48 kg) after losing just twice in the past two years.
Despite the excellent reputation of Chumgalakova, Italy’s AIBA Women’s Junior World Championships bronze medallist Roberta Bonatti, and India’s Nations Women’s Junior Cup winner Neitinhoi Chiru Laino Danla will both believe they can defeat the Russian.
Asia’s leading boxers in the weight class are Philippines’ Jennie Miranda and China’s Xu Qiufang, while DPR Korea’s Kim Un Jong is a complete newcomer to the international level, but women’s boxing is exceptionally strong in her country.
Algeria’s Malika Abdi and US Youth National Champion Hillary Perez are experienced boxers who could cause upsets in the competition.
Youth 51 kg:
China’s AIBA Women’s Junior World Champion 18-year-old Chang Yuan is the current Youth Olympic Champion, but her main rival will be Armenia’s Anush Grigoryan who was the gold medallist in the qualification event of the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games.
EUBC European Women’s Youth Continental Champion Geliusa Galiyeva is one of the most experienced Russian youth boxers having competed in 100 bouts already in her young career, while AIBA Women’s Junior World Champion US hope Caitlin Orosco is also a strong favourite for the gold medal.
England’s Ebonie Jones became the EUBC European Junior Continental Champion in Assisi last year, and she has won all of her contests since that event.
Chinese Taipei’s Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympian Huang Hsiao Wen is a very competitive boxer from the host nation, and Sweden’s Katrin Noren, Canada’s most experienced youth boxer Bianca Pacquin, Vietnam’s Nguyen Thi Huyen Phuong, Dominican Republic’s Estefani Almanzar and Greece’s Foteini Plea are also medal contenders in Taipei.
Youth 54 kg:
Ukraine’s EUBC European Women’s Junior Continental Champion Valeriya Manchak has dominated all of her national and international events, but Russia’s Umeda Saidova has lost only three contests since 2010, which makes the pair favourites in the Bantamweight class (54 kg).
Italy’s EUBC European Women’s Junior Continental Champion Concetta Marchese, India’s Pravish Chanu, Kazakhstan’s AIBA Women’s Junior World Championships silver medallist Balaussa Muzdiman, and US Women’s Youth National Championships Jayda Thomas are other athletes from this weight class who need to be watched in Taipei.
Youth 57 kg:
Italy’s AIBA Women’s Junior World Champion and Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games silver medallist Irma Testa has recently moved up to the Featherweight class (57 kg), and plans to win a gold in Taipei.
Her main rivals will be Russia’s Anastasia Nesmiyanova who has competed in more than 100 bouts in her career, and Ireland’s EUBC European Women’s Youth Continental Championships silver medallist Amy Broadhurst.
Chinese Taipei’s Liu Chi Chun, India’s Jamuna Boro and Algeria’s Nations Women’s Junior Cup winner Nour El Houda Baahmed are boxers who could cause surprises, while Uzbekistan’s Maftunakhon Meliyeva is hoping to become the first woman from her country to medal in an AIBA event.
Youth 60 kg:
US star Jajaira Gonzalez is one of the best youth boxers in the world, and if the highly decorated star does not win the Lightweight class (60 kg) gold in Taipei, it will be one of the biggest shocks in the competition.
Ukraine’s AIBA Women’s Junior World Champion Anhelina Bondarenko and Poland’s EUBC European Women’s Junior Continental Champion Adrianna Jedrzejczyk are her main rivals, with other medal hopes including China’s four-time National Champion Gao Meiqi, Sweden’s Stephanie Thour, and Algeria’s Chahira Selmouni.
Dominican Republic’s Darlin Miguelina Calderon, Kazakhstan’s Nazym Ishchanova and Vietnam’s Do Thi Mai are also expected to impress in this event.
Youth 64 kg:
Ireland’s Ciara Ginty was named the best Women’s Junior Boxer in 2013, and recently moved up to the Light Welterweight class (64 kg).
A star-studded line-up competes in her new division however, including Poland’s AIBA Women’s Junior World Champion Justyna Walas, Russia’s four-times National Champion Elizaveta Nemtseva, Italy’s EUBC European Women’s Junior Continental Champion Angela Carini, US Youth National Champion Ariel Arismendez, Kazakhstan’s AIBA Women’s Junior World Championships bronze medallist Aida Abikeyeva and Botswana’s African Youth Games winner Keamogetse Sadie Kenosi.
Youth 69 kg:
Russia’s two-time National Champion Daria Semashko and Kazakhstan’s Queen’s Women’s Youth Cup winner Bayan Akbayeva are the two top favourites in Taipei at the Welterweight class (69 kg).
Poland’s AIBA Women’s Junior World Championships bronze medallist Larysa Sabiniarz, Bulgaria’s EUBC European Women’s Youth Continental Championships bronze medallist Mihaela Nikolova, and Thailand’s experienced Suchada Panich are the further medal contenders at Welterweight.
Youth 75 kg:
Chinese Taipei’s Chen Nien Chin is the biggest gold medal contender for the host nation, and arrives to the venue as the AIBA Women’s Junior World Champion, and a silver medallist from the Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympic Games.
Chen Nien Chin
China’s Chen Simin lost to Chen Nien Chin in the final of the AIBA Junior World Boxing Championships, and will be hoping to win a possible rematch in Taipei.
England’s EUBC European Women’s Junior Continental Champion Chantelle Reid, France’s Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympian Davina Michel, Russia’s Anna Anfinogenova and talented US hope Iesha Kenney will also believe they can upset the home favourite, while Kazakhstan’s AIBA Women’s Junior World Championships silver medallist and three-time National Champion Lyubov Khasiyeva are both excellent boxers in their own right.
Youth 81 kg:
AIBA Women’s Junior World Champion and EUBC European Women’s Junior Continental Champion Vlada Kalacheva is one of Russia’s best hopes to earn a gold in Taipei.
Kazakhstan’s Altyn Mukyshbekova could be her main rival in the event, and China’s Zhang Jie is also an experienced boxer in this weight category.
Youth +81 kg:
Russia’s Maria Shishmareva is undefeated so far during her career, which makes her the main gold medal contender in the heaviest Youth weight division.
The 17-year-old boxer will hope to perform well against her rivals including Poland’s Agata Kaczmarska, Romania’s Patricia Martinconi and Azerbaijan’s Alina Gadzhiyeva.
Junior 46 kg:
Bulgaria’s EUBC European Women’s Junior Continental Championships silver medallist Emi-Mari Todorova is aiming to win the gold for her proud boxing nation, and home star Chen Tzu Hsuan has similar ambitions.
Russia’s Junior National Champion Karina Tuvakova, Uzbekistan’s Bukhara International Women’s Tournament winner Nigina Mirzayeva, DPR Korea’s Won Un Gyong, Hungary’s Gabriella Karolyi and England’s Chloe Watson all lead the chasing pack.
Junior 48 kg:
One of the best US junior boxers is Heaven Garcia, who has seven years of experience in the sport despite being just 15-years-old.
Russia’s newly crowned Junior National Champion Ekaterina Molchanova is also very experienced despite her young age, and Ireland’s EUBC European Women’s Junior Continental Championships bronze medallist Shauna Blaney comes from a boxing family.
A strong 48 kg field additionally contains Ukraine’s Olha Voznyak who has won her last three tournaments, India’s Nations Women’s Junior Cup winner Soniya and Switzerland’s Eliana Pileggi.
Junior 50 kg:
Italy’s Queen’s Women’s Junior Cup winner Giovanna Marchese has a perfect boxing record, but she will have to be at her very best against a tough Asian line-up in the Flyweight class (50 kg).
China’s Zhang Shuo, Chinese Taipei’s Wang Chin Hsin, India’s Savita and Vietnam’s Ha Thu Hong are strong favourites, with Russia’s Valeria Rodionova and Ukraine’s Demyanov Women’s Junior Memorial Tournament winner Kateryna Rohova two more European fighters to watch.
Junior 52 kg:
Russia’s EUBC European Women’s Junior Continental Champion Anna Krasnoperova and talented US hope Pauline Viesca are the two top favourites of the Light Bantamweight class (52 kg) in Taipei.
Three-time National Champion Lin Chiao Ling is a talented southpaw boxer, and France’s Johanna Wonyou and Kazakhstan’s Akniyet Abdigozha are other medal contenders.
Junior 54 kg:
Russia’s Anastasia Artamonova is one of the most experienced junior boxers in the entire world with 110 bouts to her name.
The Voronezh-based boxer has only lost one match in the past three years, but to extend that record in Taipei she would need to defeat a tough field which includes China’s Junior National Champion Ren Ran, Kazakhstan’s multiple international tournament winner Zhanna Serikova, Mongolia’s talented 15-year-old Angarag Lkhagvadorj and US hope Yarisel Ramirez.
Junior 57 kg:
Russia’s Nations Women’s Junior Cup winner Liudmilla Vorontsova, France’s Queen’s Women’s Junior Cup gold medallist Marion Roger and Ireland’s three-time National Champion Orla Garvey are all aiming for gold in the Featherweight class (57 kg).
Kazakhstan’s Vladislava Kukhta, Mongolia’s Namuum Monkhor, Switzerland’s Naomi Gertsch, US Junior National Champion Zhane Crockett and Ukraine’s Demyanov Women’s Junior Memorial Tournament winner Mariia Cherednichenko each has the ability to defeat the favourites as well.
Junior 60 kg:
US Junior National Champion and Junior National Olympics winner Guadelupe Gutierrez has a similar style of boxing to their youth star Jajaira Gonzalez, which means it is possible that the United States will earn both titles in the Lightweight class (60 kg).
India’s Muskan won the Nation’s Women’s Junior Cup in Serbia this January, which will give her confidence to beat Gutierrez in Taipei.
Ukraine’s Oleksandra Kharytoniuk, Russia’s Ekaterina Dynnik, Ireland’s talented 15-year-old Shauna O’Callaghan and Kosovo’s Donjeta Sadiku are the further key figures in this category.
Junior 63 kg:
China’s top junior boxer Yu Lisai won the Nations Women’s Junior Cup in Subotica, Serbia in January, and is the favourite to do the same in Taipei.
Russia’s Karina Ivanova has moved up two weight classes in the recent months, while India’s Haryana-based Jony is the third gold medal contender in Taipei.
Ukraine’s experienced Anastasiya Shpaniuk, Italy’s Queen’s Women’s Junior Cup winner Vittoria De Carlo and Mongolia’s two-time National Champion Khongorzul Batbold are all talented enough to succeed in Taipei.
Junior 66 kg:
Kazakhstan’s multiple tournament winner Nadezhda Ryabets and Russia’s Karina Kuzheleva have both arrived with realistic gold medal expectations.
Undefeated US Junior National Champion Kylie Hall, Germany’s Leonie Muller and Ireland’s Queen’s Women’s Junior Cup winner Joanne Richards will also hope to win the top honour in a competitive weight class.
Junior 70 kg:
US Junior National Champion Destiny Navarro is the most experienced boxer in the Light Middleweight class (70 kg), where China’s Yue Yuan, Russia’s Anastasia Sigayeva and Kazakhstan’s Yelena Sherunkova are her main rivals.
Junior 75 kg:
Karolina Makhno is only 15-years-old, but the undefeated fighter is one of Ukraine’s best hopes for gold.
Her Middleweight class (75 kg) adversaries will be Russia’s Anastasia Shamonova who has lost just one match in her career, Poland’s southpaw Weronika Plawecka and US Women’s Junior National Champion Amanda Bermudez.
Junior 80 kg:
Russia’s Junior National Champion 16-year-old Elena Litvinova has four years of boxing experience, while Germany’s Michelle Schone and Hungary’s Vivien Budai are also gold medal contenders.
Junior +80 kg:
Kazakhstan’s tough Nadira Maratova defeated Russia’s Junior National Champion Kristina Tkacheva in the final of the Nations Women’s Junior Cup in January, which makes her the favourite to win again in Taipei.
Romania’s Lenuta Catalina Stan and India’s Naganika Gonella are both planning to cause surprises in Taipei.
