Boxing

Nguyễn Thị Tâm of Việt Nam (right) exchanges punches with Stoyka Zhelyazkova of Bulgaria during the Women's Fly (48-51kg) on day two of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Kokugikan Arena on July 25, in Tokyo, Japan. AFP/VNA Photo

HÀ NỘI — Nguyễn Thị Tâm and Vương Thị Vỹ will represent Việt Nam at the World Women's Boxing Championship in Turkey next month.

Việt Nam's first World Boxing Organisation champion Nguyễn Thu Nhi was expected to take part in the tournament but has recently withdrawn.

According to Việt Nam's Sport Administration's head of Boxing Department Vũ Đức Thịnh, it was her club, Cocky Buffalo Boxing, that asked for her to be withdrawn.

"After her victory at the WBO event last month, Nhi suffered some injuries. It will not be good for her to compete at the world championship as she will not be fully recovered," said Thịnh, adding that boxer Vỹ will take the place.

"The International Boxing Association or AIBA has recently announced their new weight categories. Following the update, there is no more U51kg category that Tâm has been in. She has to move to the U52kg class but it is not that different. Meanwhile, Vỹ will box in the U57kg category, her strong category."

Tâm is one of the best female boxers of Việt Nam. The former Asian champion was the first Vietnamese woman to earn a place at the Olympics. Although starting the fight well in Tokyo event last July, Tâm lost to Bulgarian Stoyka Zhelyazkova in the first fight.

In the previous world championship in 2019, Tâm advanced to the semi-finals after beating Liliya Aetbaeva of Russia and was to bring Việt Nam's first silver medal home. But the host athlete sent a complaint to organisers who later overthrew the announced result, kicking Tâm out of the event.

Meanwhile, it is Vỹ's debut at the world competition. Vỹ was back in action early this year after taking a two-year break after giving birth.

The 25-year-old is widely expected to win her first international gold after 10 years since her world youth championship title in the 57kg class in 2011.

In Turkey, athletes will fight for titles in 12 weight pools, ranging from U48kg to over-81kg from December 4-12 in Istanbul.

The top three of each class will enjoy bonuses of US$100,000, $50,000 and $25,000, respectively. VNS