Mary Kom in Final, Will Fight For Historic 6th World Boxing Gold

M C Mary Kom was the queen and the Indira Gandhi Stadium her queendom as she stormed into the final of the Women's World Boxing Championship in New Delhi on Thursday, staying on course for an unprecedented sixth gold.

The Indian pugilist beat North Korea's Kim Hyang Mi to reach the 48kg final.

The five judges ruled in Mary's favour with the elaborate score line reading 29-28, 30-27, 30-27, 30-27, 30-27.

Meanwhile, Lovlina Borgohain lost 4-0 to Chen Nien-Chin of Taipei in the semi-final bout of the 69 kg category.

The 35-year-old five-time world champion beat her North Korean opponent in a unanimous decision of the five judges in the semifinals.

By reaching the final, she has already become the most successful woman pugilist in the event's history.

"My opponent was taller than me and strong also. Taller boxers can have the advantage, they can get inside immediately and come back again. But once inside the ring, I don't care whether my opponent is tall or not, I play my game and once I know hers, I do my own," she added.

In the final, Mary Kom will face Ukraine's Hanna Okhota whom the Indian had beaten in a tournament in Poland this year.

Mary Kom entered the event with a remarkable tally of five gold medals and a silver to her credit. She last won a world championship medal in 2010 -- a 48kg category gold.

Before this World Championship, the Manipuri was tied with Irish legend Katie Taylor (five gold and a bronze) in the number of medals won. Taylor now plies her trade in the professional circuit.

If the dimunitive Manipuri, also called 'Magnificent Mary', wins a gold on Saturday, she will match Cuban men's legend Felix Savon as the joint most successful pugilist in the World Championships history.

Savon, who also won three Olympic gold medals during an illustrious career, won six gold and one silver in heavyweight in the World Championships between 1986 and 1989.

(With inputs from PTI)