Hangzhou, China, October 4, 2023: China’s Li Qian beat India’s Lovlina Borgohain with a unanimous 5-0 decision to win the gold medal in the women’s 66-75 kg final on Wednesday afternoon at Hangzhou Gymnasium.
Li was the aggressor throughout the bout, firing off and landing more punches than Borgohain. The Indian fighter landed a couple of good left hands in the final round, but it was too little, too late.
Li took all three rounds on the judges’ scorecards in front of an appreciative home crowd.
“Through this competition I think our athletes could display our skills, techniques, and strengths,” Li stated. “It’s a good showcase for us.”
Li wants to use her victory as a launching pad for success in the Paris Olympics next summer.
“I have made a lot of preparation by competing in the world championships and Olympics before. Through this competition I finally made it,” Li commented. “I had a really good performance. Throughout the years I have become more confident. I hope I can make more preparations and win the gold medal next year.”
Lovlina said she was hoping to top the podium here.
“I’m happy that I got this medal, and I feel a little bit disappointed because I thought I will get a gold medal,” Lovlina said. “But I will try next time and I will give 100 percent and I will definitely get a gold medal.”
The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea’s Pang Cholmi outdueled China’s Chang Yuan for the gold in the women’s 50-54 kg final with a 3-2 split decision. Chang won the first round on the scorecards and Pang the second, so it was even going into the final round.
Pang was more aggressive in the last three minutes, throwing and landing more punches. The contest was marked by repeated warnings to both fighters for pushing.
Chang, the gold medalist at 51 kg in the 2018 Asian Games, regretted not being able to get the victory this time
“I am back at the Asian Games after five years, but I did not get the gold,” Chang remarked. “I have acquired much experience. I hope I can improve my level and win the gold in the Olympics next summer.
“I lost to myself. I really wanted to win this,” Chang continued. “From 2018 to today, I hoped I could keep a good condition. I really aspired for the gold medal here. I was overthinking too much.”
Eumir Felix Marcial of the Philippines scored a technical knockout win over Syria’s Ahmad Ghousoon in their men’s 71-80 kg semifinal. Ghousoon was felled by a low blow in the first minute of the second round. He got up but was knocked down a minute later and the referee stopped the bout at 1:49 of the round.
China’s Tanglatiha Tuohetaerbieke topped Uzbekistan’s Turabek Khabibullaev 4-1 in their men’s 71-80 kg semifinal. Khabibullaev landed a hard left to Tuohetaerbieke’s jaw in dominating first round.
Tuohetaerbieke fought back in the second round, landing a couple of hard lefts to the face of his opponent. The Chinese southpaw dropped the Uzbek a minute into the decisive final round.
Uzbekistan’s Hasanboy Dusmatov bested Japan’s Tomoya Tsuboi 4-1 their men’s 46-51 kg semifinal. Dusmatov connected with several punches to Tsuboi’s head in the second round, while Tsuboi fired more punches in the bout but did not connect as often.
Dusmatov said he was not in the best condition following the fight.
“This was the third match back-to-back,” Dusmatov noted. “I have trauma from getting hit in the head and I have another fight tomorrow.”
Thailand’s Thitisan Panmot downed the DPRK’s So Chonryong by a 3-2 split decision in their men’s 46-51 kg semifinal. So was given a standing eight count in the final minute of the first round after Panmot connected with a left-right combination to So’s jaw.
“I was better than my opponent in the first and third round, but he got the better of me in the second,” Panmot said. “I won because I was stronger.”
Southpaw Kazakhstan’s Karina Ibragimova defeated Tajikistan’s Mijgona Samadova on a 3-2 split decision in their women’s 54-57 kg semifinal. Ibragimova prevailed despite consistently keeping her hands at her sides during the clash instead of in a defensive position. Neither fighter landed any huge blows during the bout.
Chinese Taipei’s Lin Yu Ting beat India’s Parveen by a unanimous 5-0 decision in their women’s 54-57 kg semifinal. Lin appeared the more technically sound of the two fighters and landed several crisp punches during the bout, leaving Parveen’s face reddened by the conclusion of it.