In Nis, Serbia
The International Boxing Association (IBA) has set aside $2.88 million (about Sh370 million) in prize money at this week’s 14th Women’s World Boxing Championships here, seeking to attract further membership in its battle for global boxing supremacy.
With rival World Boxing receiving provisional recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) just last week, IBA’s President, Russian maverick Umar Kremlev, continues to bankroll the IBA with attractive purses for both amateur and professional competitions organized by his association.
An ally of Russian President Vladmir Putin, the flamboyant Kremlev roped in Russia’s energy multinational Gazprom as main sponsors of IBA’s operations amid allegations of lack of transparency made by the IOC, charges Kremlev has always denied.
The impasse has seen the IOC organize boxing competitions at both the Tokyo (2020) and Paris (2024) Olympic Games, threatening to keep the sport off the Los Angeles Olympic programme in 2028 should the wrangles persist.
At the Women’s World Boxing Championships that started here yesterday and run until Sunday, winners in each of the 12 weight categories will take home a massive $100,000 (Sh13 million) each with silver medallists taking home $50,000 (Sh6.4 million), bronze medallists $25,000 (Sh3.2 million) and fifth-placed boxers $10,000 (Sh1.3 million) each.
For the boxers to be eligible for prize money, they must win at least one bout from the draw that was conducted on Saturday evening at the Nais Hotel.
The fixtures favoured Kenya’s captain, light heavyweight Elizabeth Andiego, who is ranked top in her weight category here, going straight into Thursday’s quarter-finals.
She now awaits the winner of the Round of 16 clash between China’s Wang Xiaomeng and Kazakhstan’s Gulsaya Yerzhan to fight for a place in the last four where she will be assured of earning at least $25,000 (Sh3.2 million) set aside for each of the two losing semi-finalists.
“We will just take it one bout as a time and handle the different opponents as they come. As you know, with amateur fights, you don’t have much time to study your opponents,” she told Nation Sport yesterday.
The 38-year-old fighter is happy with the weather and conditions in this Southern Serbian city of Nis with the team having landed here on Friday.
“So far we are good, the weather is cool and not that cold and our training is going on well.
“Now it is all about sharpness and reaction as we step into the ring for our first bout and with Veronica Mbithe starting today, we ready and praying for a win today,” she added.
In last night’s opening bouts, light-flyweight Mbithe was up against Kazakhstan’s Alua Balkibekova, a two time medallist at the Women’s World Championships – silver at the 2022 edition in Istanbul, Turkey, and bronze in 2023 in Amman, Jordan.
The Round of 32 fight winner then faces Morocco’s Mouttaki Yasmine who has been given a bye into the Round of 16.
Apart from Mbithe’s bout last night, all other Kenyan fighters will be in action tomorrow, save for Lencer Akinyi, who faces South Africa’s Mathiba Thandolwethu in the flyweight division today, and Pauline Chege who is up against Bojana Gojkovic of Montenegro, also today, in the featherweight.
“The World Championship is tough…. It’s a big tournament and everyone is eyeing a medal, and I believe we can deliver,” captain Andiego noted yesterday with a deep sense of confidence and self-belief.
A total number of 239 boxers from 51 nations entered this week’s competition that was officially launched by Kremlev at a colourful opening ceremony held at the Cair Sports Centre, the competition venue, on Saturday night.
At the ceremony, Serbian Sports Minister Zoran Gajic celebrated the triumph of female boxers, announcing that Serbia would focus on empowering women athletes in its 2025-2035 Strategic Plan.
“The excellence of women in sport always inspires us and reminds us how important equality, respect and togetherness are. This moment is not only a celebration of sports competition, but also a symbol of the fight for equality, change and progress,” he said as Kremlev noted the symbolic start of the Women’s World Boxing Championships on International Women’s Day.
“Athletes, your success extends far beyond victories in the ring; each of you serves as a living example of achievement for millions of girls around the globe,” the Russian supremo said.
Kenya’s head coach here, Benjamin Musa, described the draw as “not easy” but was quick to add - with a touch of philosophy - that to be the best, one has to beat the best.
“It’s not an easy draw. We have been drawn against very good opponents, especially those from the Asian region. But to be at the top, you must defeat boxers who are at the top,” the veteran coach said.
“Elizabeth has been seeded Number One in the light heavyweight category, which is not her usual category, and she will certainly have a tough fight against either the Chinese or Kazakhstan opponent,” he dissected the draw.
“Amina has also been seeded Number Three due to her exposure and the many competitions she has been able to attend and perform well, getting the points. We generally expect good fights. Tough but good.
“The seedings look at every tournament because you get points at each tournament and that’s what is considered to give one a ranking when the seeding is done,” the coach explained.
