Women's Boxing IBA World Championships 2025

[Totallympics 69]

Women's Boxing IBA World Championships 2025

 

Niš (SRB) - 9 March 2025 - 16 March 2025

 

 

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Edited March 11 by Sindo

[ChandlerMne 1,070]

How many nations will participate? 

 

[Ogreman 360]

So I was kind of bored this week (Anyone else feel like there isn’t that much on at the moment?) and entry lists for this were out early so I decided to do a rankings for these world championships and might as well predict them as well.

 

So in terms of the entries here on the one hand China (No Olympians), Russia, Kazakhstan, Turkey, Ireland and to a lesser extent Uzbekistan, Thailand, North Korea, Serbia and Bulgaria are here so probably at least 10 of the top 20 countries in the world are at these world championships but the list of countries who aren’t here is extenxsive So Europe is missing France, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, GB, Poland, all of Scandinavia  Netherlands etc. and Asia missing Mongolia, Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Phillipines  has led to a serious lack of depth in a lot of weight classes. None of the strong American nations (USA, Brazil, Canada, Colombia?) are here and even the top African nations like Algeria and Nigeria are missing. The quality of the field that is here is probably at a pretty equal level to those that aren’t so assuming a number of the top countries probably end up competing at the world boxing world championships as well as at these worlds then the world boxing world championships will probably be the higher quality world championship which would be big for world boxing if their first world championship has a stronger field than its Iba counterpart even if that might be different on the men’s side, might not be though.

 

Both of the previous world championships have had caveats with the entry list with top nations absent for various reasons but even though world championships the year after the Olympics are always a bit transitional these entries are very clearly a level below previous years.

 

There are 239 boxers from supposedly 51 countries compared to 324 from 65 in 2023 and 310 from 73 in 2022.

 

Rankings, seeds in brackets (not that they mean much).

	W48	W50kg	W52
1	Nazym Kyzaibay (KAZ)	Chuthamat Raksat (THA) (1)	Buse Naz Cakiroglu (TUR) (1)
2	Iuliia Chumgalakova (RUS)	Sabina Bobokulova  (UZB) (4)	Chol Mi Pang (DPK)
3	Sevda Asenova (BUL) (2)	Daina Moorehouse (IRL) >	Feruza Kazakova (UZB) (3)
4	Farzona Fozilova (UZB) > (1)	Alua Balkibekova (KAZ)	Anna Aedma (RUS)
5	Nurselen Yalgettekin (TUR)	Hu Meiyi (CHN) (8)	Wei Sitong (CHN) ??
6	Xueyun Zhong (CHN) ??	Rinata Bezel (RUS)	Noelia Gutierrez (ESP)
7	Nicole Durikova (SVK)	Fatima Herrera (MEX)	Dragana Jovanovic (SRB) (5)
8	Chi Ngo Ngoc Linh (VIE) (5)	Laura Fuertes (ESP) (3)	Yuliya Apanasovich (BLR) (2)
9	Carleigh Irving (IRL)	Zlatislava Chukanova (BUL) (5)	Anita Adesheva (KAZ)
10	Ingrid Gomez (MEX)	Thi Ngoc Tran Nguyen (VIE) (7)	Venelina Poptoleva (BUL) (4)
11	Tayonis Cedeno (VEN)	Sanja Mitic (SRB)	Imane el Azami (MAR)
12	Ramona Manea (ROU)	Yasmine Mouttaki (MAR) (2)	Stela Hamza (ROU)
13	Marta Lopez Del Arbol (ESP)	Yerlin Quinones (COL)	Esmeralda Patino (MEX)
14	Ryong Kyong (DPK) ??	Byol An Kum (DPK) ???	Rita Soares (POR)
15	Rabab Cheddar (MAR) (4)	Aysen Taskin (TUR)	Thi To Nhu Tran  (VIE)
16	Anakhanim Ismayilova (AZE) (6)	Anush Grigoryan (ARM) (6)	Kathreen Sterling (HAI)
17	Snezana Slijkovic (SRB) (3)	Alondra Brito (VEN)	Shakhriza Khalilova (KGZ)
18	Suada Ibraimovski (MKD)	Mihaela Badescu (ROU)	Arinzul Chinabat (MGL)
19	Athina Avramidou (GRE)	Marjona Savriyeva (AZE)	Thandelwethu Mathiba (RSA)
20	Phiwokuhle Mnguni (RSA)	Ntandoyenkosi Ncube (RSA)	Maia Odaijiu (MDV)
21	Tamana Ahmadi (AFG)	Teona Pirosmanashvili (GEO)	Lencer Akinyi Otieno (KEN)
22		Veronica Nziva (KEN)	A Kwashi (ZIM)
23		Wakjira Wada (ETH)	Sarafina Fussi (TAN)

 

 

W48kg

 

Not the worst field here medals should be between Asian champion Farzona Fozilova ,  former European champion Iullia Chumgalakova , Olympic bronze medallist Nazym Kyzaibay  and veteran Sevda Asenova . Other potential medallists include Xuyen Zhong , Asian silver medallist Chi Ngo Ngoc Linh and European under 22 champion Nurselen Yalgettekin  but I would be pretty surprised if any of the four favourites lost. Chumgalakova and Kyzaibay would be my picks for the final with Kyzaibay to remarkably win a third world title. I say bizarrely because she is a good boxer but far from a great one.

 

Gold- Nazym Kyzaibay , Silver- Iulia Chumgalakova , Bronze- Sevda Asenova , Farzona Fozilova .

 

W50kg

 

Pity that Daina Moorehouse  and Chuthamat Raksat  are in the same bracket as I would have expected them both to medal. Sabina Bobokulova  and Alua Balkibekova  both have fairly straightforward paths to the medal rounds. Rinata Bezel  is probably the pick of the remaining bracket although Olympian Laura Fuertes could maybe cause an upset. There is also an unknown North Korean Byol an Kum to consider there. Fatima Herrera  and Meiyi Hu  maybe could have medalled but are drawn in the Raksat Moorehouse bracket. Reluctantly I’ll back Raksat to finally win haven gotten close at previous major tournaments with Balkibekova probably winning silver.

 

Gold- Chuthamat Raksat , Silver- Alua Balkibekova , Bronze- Sabina Bobokulova , Rinata Bezel .

 

W52

 

Two time Olympic silver medallist Buse Cakiroglu  should cruise to a final. European bronze medallist Dragana Jovanovic should probably be able to ride home advantage to beat either Anita Adesheva  or Venelina Poptoleva  to a medal. Asian champ Feruza Kazakova  should have comfortably enough for bronze but 54kg Olympic bronze medallist and former world champion Chol-mi Pang  will likely be her undoing in the semi-final. Pang does have to beat Anna Aedma but should come through to set up a  Cakiroglu Pang final which should be one of the highest quality fights here. Cakiroglu to win.

 

Gold- Buse Cakiroglu , Silver- Chol-mi Pang , Bronze- Dragana Jovanovic , Feruza Kazakova .

 

	W54	W57	W60
1	Sara Cirkovic (SRB) (4)	Karina Ibragimova (KAZ) < (1)	Natalia Shadrina (SRB) (1)
2	Hatice Akbas (TUR)	Esra Yildiz (TUR) (2)	Viktoriya Grafeyeva (KAZ) (5)
3	Zhaina Shekerbekova (KAZ) < (5)	Liudmila Vorontsova (RUS)	Svetlana Staneva (BUL)
4	Natnicha Chongprongklang (THA) (7)	Punrawee Ruenros (THA) (5)	Qiange Li (CHN) (6)
5	Jennifer Lehane (IRL)	Lacramioara Perijoc (ROU)	Nune Asatrian (RUS) (3)
6	Johana Gomez (VEN) (2)	Ashleyann Lozada (PUR)	Won Un Gyong (DPK)
7	Aziza Yokubova (UZB)	Nigina Uktamova (UZB) (3)	Gizem Ozer (TUR) (2)
8	Karina Tazabekova (RUS)	Valeria Arboleda (COL)	Miroslava Jedinakova (SVK) (7)
9	Thi Kim Anh Vo (VIE)	Michaela Walsh (IRL)	Elida Kocharyan (ARM)
10	Xuan Zhao (CHN)	Jenifer Fernandez (ESP)	Krisandy Rios (VEN)
11	Widad Bertal (MAR) (1)	Mijgona Samadova (TJK) > (4)	Sitora Turdibekova (UZB) (4)
12	Jin Hyang Paek (DPK) ?	Bolortuul Tumurkhuyag (MGL)	Caudia Nechita (ROU)
13	Islem Ferchichi (TUN)	Bojana Gojkovic (MNE)	Anna Sorokina (LAT)
14	Ekaterina Sycheva (ARM)	Andela Brankovic (SRB) (6)	Sofia Legaki (GRE)
15	Angelyris Lopez (PUR) <	Hyang Suk Ku (PRK) ??	Josefien Betist (SLE)
16	Iulia Coroli (MDA) (6)	Yan Cai (CHN) (8)	Shoira Zulkaynarova (TJK)
17	Zeynab Rahimova (AZE) (8)	Marina Muliarchyk (BLR)	Thi Mai Chuc Ngo (VIE)
18	Miria Daiana Andor (ROU)	Diana Maestre (VEN)	Emily Juma (KEN)
19	Ariadna Gil Alonso (MEX)	Aynur Mikayilova (AZE)
20	Oyun-erdene Nergui (MGL)	Yasmim Alves (BRA)
21	Melani Volkova (GER)	Diana Perez (MEX)
22	Amina Faki (KEN) (3)	Halima Vunjabei (TAN)
23	Kyriaki Daponte (GRE)	Khuraman Kasumova (GEO)
24	Miraiida Tashpolotova (KGZ)	Ainazik Rustambek Kyzy (KGZ)
25	Ashihlobanise Hobongwana (RSA)	Melani Girado (CUB)
26	Patricia Becerra (IBA)	Huyen Tran Nguyen (VIE) (7)
27	Zulfa Rwenda (TAN)	Pauline Chege (KEN)
28	Asefa Abate (ETH) ?	Khurshid Mohammadi (AFG)
29	M Haidari (AFG)	Imitha Mkala (RSA)
30		Lovelight Fusire (ZIM)

 

W54kg

 

The top bracket here is completely up for grabs between Olympians Widad Bertal  and Thi Kim Anh Vo  and Aziza Yokubova or Xuan Zhao . I think Vo might come through but I don’t really know how good the Chinese boxer is. European champion Sara Cirkovic  should be the home star of this tournament and only has to beat veteran Zhaina Shekerbekova  who is well past her best to medal. Olympic silver medallist Hatice Akbas  should easily medal. Final bracket is a bit trickier with Olympian Jennifer Lehane  meeting Asian champ Natnicha Chongprongklang  in the last 32 and Johana Gomez  waiting in a potential quarter final. I will reluctantly pick the young Thai. Either way Cirkovic to beat Akbas in the final.

 

Gold-Sara Cirkovic , Silver- Hatice Akbas , Bronze- Thi Kim Anh Vo , Natnicha Chongprongklang .

 

W57kg

 

Remarkable that 30 is the most entries of any weight class. Karina Ibragimova  has won medals at both of the last two world championships but has struggled of late and has a very tough draw here. The powerful Ashleyann Lozada  dumped Ibragimova out of the Olympics but she herself lost to Valeria Arboleda  who she would have to beat to get another shot at the Kazakh. 2019 world silver medallist Liudmila Vorontsova  is lurking on the easier side of this top bracket as well. I think Vorontsova is therefore the safest medal pick. Asian champion Punrawee Ruenros  is probably the marginal favourite to medal from the second bracket. She meets 54kg 2022 world silver medallist Lacramioara Perijoc  who moves back up to featherweight despite having struggled at this weight in the past. Olympian Mijgona Samadova  and the unknown Hyang Suk Ku  provide further potential banana skins. Michaela Walsh  in her lengthy has never managed to win a global medal but has a shot here. Andela Brankovic  is a tricky opener especially given she is at home but Walsh won this matchup in all the way back in 2018 if that is worth anything. Jenifer Fernandez  would then meet the winner with Asian silver medallist and Olympian Nigina Uktamova  awaiting the winner. I think Walsh is past it so I’ll back Uktamova. Olympic medallist Esra Yildiz  will win the bottom bracket and probably make the final. I don’t feel confident in my pick of a Vorontsova Yildiz final but that’s where I have ended up so I guess Vorontsova to win. That doesn’t feel right though.

 

Gold- Liudmila Vorontsova , Silver- Esra Yildiz , Bronze- Punrawee Ruenros , Nigina Uktamova .

 

W60kg-

 

Weird to not having Beatriz Ferreira  or Kellie Harrington  here as they have dominated the global titles in this division for a while now. European champion Natalia Shadrina  probably had the best year of her career last year despite narrowly missing out on an Olympic medal and should medal here. Newly minted Asian champion Viktoriya Grafeyeva  probably starts as the favourite here and only has to beat Olympian Sitora Turdibekova  to medal. The bottom bracket is between Gizem Ozer  and Miroslava Jedinakova  who met in a European under 22 final a few years ago. Jedinakova won that won but I think I would back Ozer here. The most interesting bracket includes European silver medallist Nune Asatrian , Olympian and Asian games silver medallist Won Ung-yong , 57kg European champion Svetlana Staneva  and Asian silver medallist Qiange Li . I think Staneva is the pick here. Grafeyeva to beat Staneva in the final.

 

Gold- Viktoriya Grafayeva , Silver- Svetlana Staneva , Bronze- Natalia Shadrina , Gizem Ozer .

[Ogreman 360]

	W63	W66	W70
1	Kristina Kulukhova (SRB)	Busenaz Surmeneli (TUR) (1)	Lisa O'Rourke (IRL)
2	Elena Babicheva (RUS) (3)	Albina Moldazhanova (RUS)	Shu Li (CHN) ?
3	Aida Abikeyeva (KAZ) (2)	Pan Zhou (CHN)<	Kaye Scott (AUS) (1)
4	Jessica Triebelova (SVK)	Navbakhor Khamidova (UZB)  (2)	Milena Matovic (SRB) <
5	Shuoyu Zhao (CHN) ??	Grainne Walsh (IRL)	Natalya Bogdanova (KAZ) (2)
6	Thananya Somnuek (THA) (1)	Zhasmin Kizatova (KAZ)	Elena Gapeshina (RUS)
7	Thi Linh Ha (VIE) (5)	Ivanusa Moreira (CPV) (3)	Oysha Toirova (UZB)
8	Omailyn Alcala (VEN)	Stephanie Pineiro (PUR) (4)	Saida Lahmidi (MAR) (3)
9	Esma Nur Lok (TUR)	Mouna Toutir (MAR)	Sema Caliskan (TUR)
10	Loredana Marin (ROU)	Crinuta Sebe (ROU) (22 EY gold)	Dunia Martinez (ESP)
11	Megan de Cler (IBA)	Tamara Kubalova (SVK)	Aryna Danylchyk (BLR) (4)
12	Ala Ivashkevich (BLR)	Anastasija Lukajic (SRB)	Emili Rzayeva (AZE)
13	((Odinakhon Ismoilova)) (UZB)	Friza Asiko Anyango (KEN)	Genesis Palma (VEN)
14	Marianna Soto (ESP)	Maria Rodriguez (MEX)	Darianne Olvera (MEX)
15	Olga Papadatou (GRE)	Thabisile Cimi (RSA)	Ngoc Mai Hoang (VIE) (5)
16	Jekaterina Sorokina (LAT)		Zabrina Holstrom (SWE)
17	Miriam Hernandez (MEX)		Sinothile Ncube (RSA)
18	Esmaralda Novruzaj (ALB)
19	Nilufar Boboyorova (TJK)
20	Sona Harutyunyan (ARM) (4)
21	Cynthia Mwai (KEN)
22	Hildah Kaye (ZIM)
23	Rebecca Sovula (SLE)
24	Doricas Kibwana (TAN)

W63kg

 

Russian import and European champion Kristina Kulukhova  has been disappointing since winning that European title last year but with home advantage should beat Olympian Thananya Somnuek . Thi Linh Ha was a surprise Olympic qualifier but only has to beat 57kg Olympian Omailyn Alcala to medal here. European silver medallist Elena Babicheva  should also medal. Asian champion Aida Abikiyeva  is probably the pick of the last bracket but will have to beat Shuoyo Zhao  (Chinese have won this division in 4 out of the last 5 world championships) or European bronze medallist Jessica Triebelova . Don’t really know from there so I guess just pick the home boxer

 

Gold- Kristina Kulukhova , Silver- Elena Babicheva , Bronze- Thi Linh Ha , Aida Abikiyeva .

W66kg

 

Back to back world champion Busenaz Surmeneli  should be able to avenge her Olympic disappointment and will have no trouble making the final. Stephanie Pineiro  looks set to become one of the world medallist from this tournament that are nowhere near good enough to become a world medallist certainly not at this point in her career. Crinuta Sebe  is former European youth champion so is the other contender there. European silver medallist Albina Moldazhanova  has a tough bracket here against 2023 70kg world bronze medallist Pan Zhou  and one of Asian under 22 champ Zhasmin Kizatova  or Ivanusa Moreira . Olympic quarter finalist and Asian champion Navbakhor Khamidova has been in great form of late but has a tough fight against fellow Olympian Grainne Walsh  between her and a medal. A year ago I would have confidently picked Grainne Walsh here but now I’m not so sure.

 

Gold- Busenaz Surmeneli , Silver- Albina Moldazhanova , Bronze- Stephanie Pineiro , Navbakhor Khamidova .

 

W70kg

 

Decent field here. World silver medallist Kaye Scott  is here for some reason even though Australia isn’t. She should be able to beat Elena Gapeshina  to medal here. Somehow Aryna Danilchyk  is probably going to medal here. 2022 world champion Lisa O’Rourke should be able to beat world youth medallist Oysha Toirova . Not sure who of Milena Matovic , Shu Li  or Natalya Bogdanova  win the last bracket. I’ll back O’Rourke to beat Scott in the final but nobody here is particularly reliable.

 

Gold-Lisa O’Rourke , Silver- Kaye Scott , Bronze- Shu Li , Aryna Danylchyk .

 

	W75	W81	W81+
1	Aoife O'Rourke (IRL) (1)	Xiaomeng Wang (CHN) ??	Yilian Zhan (CHN) ??
2	Lina Wang (CHN) (2)	Busra Isildar (TUR)	Daria Sazonova (MDA) (2)
3	Anastasia Shamonova (RUS) (3)	Gulsaya Yerzhan (KAZ)	Maria Kuchmanova (RUS)
4	Nadezhda Ryabets (KAZ)	Sarah Scheurich (GER)	Elif Guneri (TUR)
5	Aziza Zokirova (UZB)	Saltanat Medenova (RUS)	Aynur Rzayeva (AZE) (1)
6	Amalia Nita (EY champ)	Sokhiba Ruzmetova (UZB)	Sara Miljkovic (SRB) (3)
7	Nikolina Gajic (SRB) (4)	Viktoriya Kebikava (BLR) (2)	Yeldana Talipova (KAZ)
8	Patricia Mbata (NGR)	Elizabeth Andiego (KEN) (1)	Oltinoy Sotimboeva (UZB)
9	Vasiliki Stavridou (GRE)	Elma Hajrovic (SRB)	Judy Bobbett (IRL)
10	Alina Veber (BLR)	Maria Cimpoeru (ROU)	Nena Zamora (PYF)
11	Yaren Duztas (TUR)	Hasnae Larti (MAR) >
12	Keidy Guevara (VEN)	Yoana Rodriguez (CUB)
13	Dayira Mesa (CUB)	Veroiti Nena (PYF)
14	Aminata Koroma (SLE)

W75kg

 

Aoife O’Rourke  has been the best middleweight in the world for the past few years but somehow has fallen short at every global championships so far in her career. Controversially losing a last 16 fight to a boxer she has beaten 4 times before with only other boxers she had beaten before lying between her and gold is as painful as an Olympic experience gets but as a result she probably has the most pressure of any boxer to win here. She should end up facing either multi time 81kg world medallist Lina Wang or Anastasia Shamanova  in the final provided she can beat Aziza Zokirova  and Nadezhda Ryabets .

 

Gold- Aoife O’Rourke , Silver- Lina Wang , Bronze- Nadezhda Ryabets , Anastasia Shamonova .

 

W81kg

 

Don’t really particularly care about the heavyweights. Really hope if they add a 7^th womens weight to the Olympics to balance up the genders that they don’t add 81 or 81+ because basically all the best heavyweights can make weight at middleweight and struggle there. Just thought I would put that opinion out there cause I think it might happen. Anyway

 

Gold- Xiaomeng Wang , Silver- Saltanat Medenova , Bronze Busra Isildar , Viktoriya Kebikava .

 

W81+kg

 

Gold- Yilian Zhan , Silver- Daria Sazonova , Bronze- Maria Kuchmanova , Sara Miljkovic .

 

 

Medal table

 

	Gold	Silver	Bronze	Total
Turkey	2	2	2	6
Kazakhstan	2	1	2	5
China	2	1	1	4
Serbia	2	0	3	5
Ireland	2	0	0	2
Russia	1	4	3	8
Thailand	1	0	2	3
Bulgaria	0	1	1	2
Australia	0	1	0	1
Moldova	0	1	0	1
North Korea	0	1	0	1
Uzbekistan	0	0	5	5
Vietnam	0	0	2	2
Belarus	0	0	2	2
Puerto Rico	0	0	1	1

 

4 of the last 5 world championships have been won by the host nation. Not sure Serbia quite achieve that here but they had a great Europeans which they also hosted last year and 3  gold could get them there which is definitely possible despite them having never won a medal at these championships before. This prediction almost certainly underestimates North korea and I’m really not very sure what to expect from this Chinese squad. They have been the best nation in the world in women’s boxing over the last Olympic cycle but without their Olympians its hard to know.

Russia didn’t have a great time at the previous world championships but given the lack of depth should do fairly well here. Kazakhstan and Turkey feel like comfortably the safest picks to top the medal table here. Uzbekistan women’s squad has been steadily improving over the last few years and is also probably due a breakout championships and it could come here. 2 medals would be disappointing from an Irish perspective given the experience in the squad but they haven't gotten any easy draws so will have to earn it if they want medals.

[Federer91 2,878]

IBA has become the Serbia - Russia - Uzbekistan - Kazakhstan organization at this point. We have been setting up joining World Boxing for a while, so they made sure to chastise us here for that. Thankfully this will be our last competition for them.

[Monzanator 4,599]

So decided to stay with IBA?

[Ogreman 360]

  On 3/15/2025 at 12:06 PM, Monzanator said:

So decided to stay with IBA?

Expand  

The Irish boxing federation tried to join early on (late 2023) but Irish boxing clubs being Irish boxing clubs failed to pass it in a vote. Needed a 70% majority and fell just short I think. They also a couple of years ago voted against basic governance reforms just because despite sport ireland threatening to cut their funding so yeah Irish boxing clubs are just erratic. They managed to just about pass a vote to remove references to the IBA from its constitution last year and are expected to join world boxing presumably in the next couple of months. But yeah the Irish federation wanted to join from the start, the clubs just didn't let them. 

 

  On 3/15/2025 at 6:28 AM, Federer91 said:

Uzbekistan - Kazakhstan

Expand  

Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan have both joined world boxing and Kazakhstan is hosting the 2027 world boxing world champs. I would expect them both to go to world boxing worlds as well. They and a few others might just be milking the IBA for its money at this point.