Indian boxing legend MC Mary Kom on Saturday became the most successful boxer in the history of Women’s World Championships as she beat Hanna Okhota to win her record sixth gold medal.
Mary Kom defeated the Ukrainian in a unanimous 5-0 result in the 48kg in Women’s World Boxing Championship final in New Delhi. She last won a world championship medal in 2010 a 48kg category gold.
The 35-year-old Mary Kom now has an incredible six gold and one silver in the tournament.
The feisty mother of three won a silver in the inaugural edition in 2001 and then went on to win a gold each in the next five consecutive editions 2002, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2010.
Before this World Championship, Mary Kom 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.
By winning her sixth gold, the diminutive Manipuri, also called ‘Magnificent Mary’, matched 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.
On Thursday, she had defeated North Korea’s Kim Hyang Mi to set up the title bout with Okhota, becoming the most successful woman pugilist in the event’s history.
“I have beaten her in Poland. I will read that bout and plan the strategy. I hope to beat her again,” she had said on Thursday ahead of the ifinal.
