Ulan-Ude (Russia): Six-time AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships gold medallist Mary Kom got off to a flying start to her 51kg category campaign here on Tuesday as she earned 5-0 unassailable win over 21-year-old Thailand boxer Jutamas Jitpong.
With this empathic win, Mary advanced to the quarterfinals. The Manipuri boxer, who won her previous six gold medals in 48kg category (light-flyweight), is contesting in the 51kg (flyweight) category to keep her 2020 Olympic qualification berth hope alive.
Earlier, Indian Boxing Federation (IBF) approved Mary's decision to contest in flyweight category in the ongoing Women's World Boxing Championships, taking her wealth of experience and success rate into consideration.
Interestingly, Mary's light flyweight category is not enlisted in the Olympics.
In 2018 AIBA Women's World Boxing Championships in New Delhi, Mary won her record sixth World Championships gold beating Ukraine's Hanna Okhota in the 48kg final. In the process, she equalled Cuba's male boxer Félix Savón's record of most number of World Championships gold, six. Félix Savón is a heavyweight (91kg) category boxer.
On Tuesday the 36-year-old Indian won the match unhindered as Jitpong had no answer to the Indian's technical superiority.
The third-seeded Indian, who got a bye in the opening round, spent the first three minutes getting a good measure of her opponent before taking control of the proceedings. In the second round, Mary resorted on an aggressive display against the lanky Jutamas, mixing it with air punches, counter-attacks, dodges and body play which forced the latter to make errors.
Till date, Mary won two medals in 51kg category, 2012 Asian Championshinships gold and London Olympic bronze.
It must be noted that silver or a gold medal in this World Championships will earn Mary a spot in the Asia/Oceania Olympic Qualification tournament which is scheduled to take place in Qian'an, China from March 25 to April 2.
