India already have five bronze medals in the bag at the Asian Boxing Championships at Ho Chi Minh. On Wednesday, five-time World Champion Mary Kom will face North Korea’s Hyang Mi Kim in the 48 kg final. In her five previous appearances at the event, The Manipuri pugilist has four gold medals and one silver. The 34-year-old has been tactically spot on and has been at ease switching from defence to attack, especially in the final round.
Mary Kom has made several great comebacks in the past and a victory in Vietnam is certain to go down as yet another feather in her cap. This is her first major appearance in more than a year. Mary Kom’s experience and form makes her a firm favourite in this bout, which begins at 12.30 pm.
India have another representative in the final, former World Championships silver medallist Sonia Lather. The 25-year-old will take on Junhua Jin of China in the 57 kg final.
The Chinese pugilist is no spring chicken on the scene and has wins in major tournaments under her belt. Lather, much like Mary Kom outsmarted her opponent by inviting attacks and counter-punching. In the semi-finals, Lather defeated Uzbekistan’s Yodgoroy Mirzaeva by a unanimous decision. Her bout begins at 13:15 pm.
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