North Korea boxer snatches gold from China in Asian Games rematch

North Korea’s Pang Chol mi celebrates after winning against China’s Chang Yuan in the women’s 50-54kg final boxing match during the Hangzhou 2022 Asian Games in Hangzhou, in China’s eastern Zhejiang province on October 4, 2023. (Photo by Ishara S. KODIKARA / AFP)

North Korea’s Pang Chol Mi exacted revenge on China’s Chang Yuan in the Asian Games boxing to win the women’s bantamweight (54kg) gold and silence the home fans on Wednesday.

The pair met in the flyweight (51kg) final at the Jakarta Asian Games in 2018 with Chang winning a tight decision.

In a scrappy rematch in Hangzhou it was Pang who did the better work to get a deserved result, even though the judges were split 3-2.

Several times the boxers wrestled each other to the canvas in an ugly contest. Chang conceded that the better fighter won.

“Keeping a long distance has always been my strength,” said the Chinese fighter. “I probably should have handled it better.

“Last time we fought it was at a different weight so I think today was a completely new contest.”

The women’s middleweight (75kg) final went to plan for the vociferous home support as Li Qian was comfortable in taking a unanimous points decision over the gutsy Indian Lovlina Borgohain.

It is not just medals at stake in boxing in Hangzhou, but also Olympic qualification for Paris next year with 20 women’s berths and 14 men’s.

Amateur boxing great Hasanboy Dusmatov eased to a 4-1 split decision against Japan’s former bantamweight world champion Tomoya Tsuboi in their flyweight (51kg) semi-final.

 ‘I can’t eat’

The Uzbek entered the ring to chants of “Hasanboy, Hasanboy” and made an immediate statement of intent by landing a big straight left flush on Tsuboi’s chin.

Tsuboi fought back to edge the final round but it wasn’t enough against the 30-year-old, Olympic champion at Rio 2016.

Dusmatov is now one win from completing his gold medal collection in the 51kg division but Thursday’s final will be his third fight in two days.

He was scathing about the schedule after a bruising battle less than 24 hours after his quarter-final.

“I’m tired and aching and my face has bruises, with no time to recover,” he told AFP.

“I can’t eat properly to refuel because I have to make weight every day. We should not have to do this.”

He will face Thitisan Panmot for flyweight gold after the Thai won a split decision against North Korea’s So Chon Ryong.

Philippines Eumir Felix Marcial in blue comfort Syria’s Ahmad Ghousoon after defeating him in the Boxing Men’s 71-80Kg Semifinal bout for the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, Wednesday, Oct. 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Aijaz Rahi)

Eumir Felix Marcial from the Philippines, a bronze medalist at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, knocked out Syria’s Ahmad Ghousoon in the second round of their middleweight (80kg) semi-final.

“I’ve always said that I have power so I just let my hand do its thing,” said Marcial, who turned pro after Tokyo, and was very emotional afterwards.

“When I was in the United States doing my training for a professional fight I thought Paris was not for me because I am already focused on this,” he said, voice cracking.

“My wife was the one who told me that I can do it. She told me not to give up on my dreams of winning an Olympic gold.

“If I win gold, it’s for myself, for my wife, for my country and for my father. I would not be where I am right now if it wasn’t for my father.”

He faces China’s Tanglatihan Tuohetaerbieke in Thursday’s gold medal bout.