Kathmandu, January 22

Sushma Tamang became the first Nepali boxer to advance to the final of the ASBC Asian Under-22 Boxing Championships in Bangkok, Thailand today.

The eighth and ninth National Games gold medallist, Tamang outplayed Mongolian boxer Byeisyenbyei Janarguli in the semi-final bout of the women's flyweight (45- 48kg) category. Tamang earned the Referee Stop the Contest (RSC) decision over her opponent in the third round. Tamang will now face Uzbekistan's Fozilova Farzona, who outplayed Thailand's Yodwaree Thipsatcha in unanimous decision in another semi-final match.

Tamang had defeated Vietnam's Pham Thi Quynh Anh in unanimous decision in the quarter-final match on January 19. No Nepali boxer had succeeded in making it to the semi-finals in previous Asian-level tournaments and Tamang has already gone one step ahead by entering the final.

Tamang had previously advanced to the quarter-finals in theWorld Youth Women Boxing Championship in Poland in 2021 on her way to finishing sixth.

Another Nepali boxer who made it to the semi-finals, Hema Rai faced defeat at the hands of Mongolian boxer Battur Zoljargal in the women's featherweight (54-57kg) category.

Rai, who had outplayed Singaporean boxer Chow Zi Min Berniss in the quarter-final match, was restricted to bronze medal after she suffered 5-0 loss against Zoljargal.

On Saturday, two boxers were eliminated from quarter-finals. Indra Bahadur Sunar lost to Mongolian boxer Lundaa Gantumur in men's 57kg weight category, while Lal Prasad Upreti faced defeat at the hands of Philippino boxer Durens Mark Lester in men's 48kg weight category.

Two Nepali boxers have already confirmed medals after Bijaya Bata (86kg) and Trisha Jabegu (75-81kg) were directly drawn in the semi-finals.

Bata will face Indonesian boxer Muskita Maikhel Roberrd on Monday, while Jabegu will fight against Yerzhan Gulsaya from Kazakhstan on Wednesday.