Who is the only boxer in the world to win eight World Championship medals?

After defeating Columbia’s Valencia Victoria 5-0 at the World Women’s Boxing Championship on Wednesday, MC Mary Kom added an unprecedented eighth World Cup medal to her tally. Mary has 6 gold medals and a silver in the 48 kg category but this will be her first in the 51 kg category. Apart from 7 world cup medals, the southpaw from Manipur also secured an Olympic bronze medal in 2012, five Asian titles, besides other international honours in the Commonwealth games.

Kom was accompanied to London by her mother. Kom’s coach Charles Atkinson could not join her at the Olympic Village as he didn’t possess an International Boxing Association (AIBA) 3 Star Certification, which is mandatory for accreditation. She had all her luggage and passport stolen on the way to the selection camp in Bangkok, Thailand for her first Asian Women’s Boxing Championships. The first Olympic round was held on 5 August 2012, with Kom defeating Karolina Michalczuk of Poland 19–14 in the third women’s boxing match ever to be fought at the Olympics. In the quarter-final, the following day, she defeated Maroua Rahali of Tunisia with a score of 15–6. She faced Nicola Adams of UK in the semi-final on 8 August 2012 and lost the bout 6 points to 11. However, she stood third in the competition and garnered an Olympic bronze medal. In recognition, the Manipur Government awarded her Rs 50 lakhs and two acres of land in a cabinet meeting held on 9 August 2012.

Mary Kom set a new standard in amateur boxing without ever competing in professional boxing. In 2015, Kom became the first amateur to surpass several professional athletes in India in earnings, endorsements and awards. She is the first amateur athlete to win the Padma Bhushan.

 

Picture Credit : Google