THE world’s top women boxers are once again getting ready to take to the ring in pursuit of World Championship gold this month, with the added incentive of 12 Rio 2016 quota places available in the three Olympic weight classes.
The famous Barys Arena in the Kazakhstan capital of Astana will host the nine-day tournament from May 19, which promises to be the strongest in its 15-year history.
“We are living in thrilling times for women’s boxing, and the 2016 AIBA World Championships will once again raise the profile of this incredible sport around the world. We are both fortunate and hugely proud to have iconic champions, young talents and inspirational figures taking part in Astana, and the city of Astana is ready to begin another sporting journey by which future tournaments can be measured. I am confident we will experience an amazing event in a country with a longstanding boxing tradition,” said the president of AIBA, the international boxing organization’s President Dr. Ching-Kuo Wu.
The Philippines will send three female boxers to the event—Nesthy Petecio, Josie Gabuco and Irish Magno, with Petecio considered the Philippines’ best hope to qualify for the Rio Olympic Games later this year.
AIBA noted that Ireland’s Katie Taylor and India’s Mary Kom both will be chasing a record sixth World Title in Astana, with American Claressa Shields, Britain’s Olympic champion Nicola Adams and Chinese rival Ren Cancan also among the favorites for gold.
Among the 73 nations and a record 326 boxers, Jordan, Mozambique and Sierra Leone will be represented for the first time in the competition’s history.
Petecio was the victim of a controversial loss to Mary Kom of India in the quarterfinals of the Asian-Oceania Olympic Qualifiers at the Tangshan Sports Centre in Qian’An, China and is determined to avenge that loss in Kazakhstan.
Bolat Abdrakhmanov Chairman of the Local Organising Committee said: “The standard of boxing will be the strongest in the history of the Women’s World Championships, and we are ready to reflect that by putting on a world-class tournament here in Astana.”
He added: “Kazakhstan has hosted major boxing events, including the 2013 AIBA Men’s World Championships and of course our own Astana Arlans WSB team matches. We have built on those experiences and are ready to do boxing, and our country, proud by staging another memorable tournament to the pleasure of our truly passionate fans.”
