2021 Asian Boxing Championships final: Pooja Rani wins gold as Mary Kom and others bag silver in women's categories

Pooja Rani poses with her coaches after winning the gold medal in the 2021 Asian Boxing Championships

Tokyo Olympic-bound pugilist Pooja Rani was the lone Indian woman to win a gold medal at the 2021 Asian Boxing Championships in Dubai. The 30-year-old beat Uzbekistan's Mavluda Movlonova in the finals of the women's 75kg category (middleweight) by a unanimous decision of 5-0.

Pooja Rani dominated all three rounds and came out on top as the deserved winner. Movlonova looked battered in the final round as she struggled to maintain her balance.

Pooja Rani received a walkover in the semi-finals and her final bout against Movlonova was her first at the 2021 Asian Boxing Championships. She had won the gold medal in the 2019 edition of the tournament in Bangkok as well. However, she participated in the light heavyweight (81kg) category at that time.

GOLD for Pooja Rani! The defending champion defeated Mavluda Movlonova of Uzbekistan 5-0 and secured India's first gold medal at Asian Championships

Note: She won the gold medal in 2019 in 81 kg. pic.twitter.com/7PfzQavgQJ
— Sportskeeda India (@Sportskeeda) May 30, 2021

Pooja Rani's victory should boost her morale immensely heading into the Tokyo Olympics.

Mary Kom loses to Kazakhstan's Nazym Kyzaibay in the women's 51kg category

Earlier in the day, Mary Kom lost her finals bout

The night began on a sour note for the Indians as the 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist Mary Kom had to settle for a silver medal. Kazakhstan's Nazym Kyzaibay pipped her in the finals with a split decision of 2-3.

Later, Lalbuatsahi lost her final to Kazakhstan's Milana Safronova in the women's 64kg category by a 3-2 verdict. The last Indian woman in the fray on Sunday, Anupama, also went down against Kazakhstan's Lazzat Kungeibayeva by a 3-2 margin.

The action shifts to the men's categories on Monday as India's Shiva Thapa (64kg), Amit Panghal (52kg), and Sanjeet (91kg) will be in action in the finals.

SILVER for Mary Kom! The Indian star loses 2-3 to two time World Champion Nazym Kyzaibay of Kazakhstan in the final of Asian Championships in Dubai. pic.twitter.com/jNjHJMCcvd
— Sportskeeda India (@Sportskeeda) May 30, 2021

Results of women's finals of the 2021 Asian Boxing Championships

Pugilists from Kazakhstan stole the show as they bagged eight out of ten gold medals in the women's category of the 2021 Asian Boxing Championships.

Light Flyweight (48kg) - Alua Balkibekova (Kazakhstan) beat Gulasal Sultonalieva (Uzbekistan)

Flyweight (51kg) - Nazym Kyzaibay (Kazakhstan) beat Mary Kom (India)

Bantamweight (54kg) - Dina Zholaman (Kazakhstan) beat Sitora Shogdarova (Uzbekistan)

Featherweight (57kg) - Sitora Turdibekova (Kazakhstan) beat Vladislava Kukhta (Uzbekistan)

Lightweight (60kg) - Rimma Volossenko (Kazakhstan) beat Huswatun Hasannah (Indonesia)

Light welterweight (64kg) - Milana Safronova (Kazakhstan) beat Lalbuatsaihi (India)

Welterweight (69kg) - Valentina Khalzova (Kazakhstan) beat Navbakhor Khamidova (Uzbekistan)

Middleweight (75kg) - Pooja Rani (India) beat Mavluda Movlonova (Uzbekistan)

Light Heavyweight (81kg) - Fariza Sholtay (Kazakhstan) beat Sokhiba Ruzmetova (Uzbekistan)

Heavyweight (+81 kg) - Lazzat Kungeibayava (Kazakhstan) beat Anupama (India)