Women face off in National

Competitors from 12 clubs across the nation will compete in 12 weight categories ranging between 45kg to 75kg in the championships this year.

According to experts, women’s boxing is a newly developing sport in the Southeast Asian region, and Viet Nam’s boxers stand a good chance against the best in the world.

"Vietnamese boxers have the potential to be world beaters. The sport has developed very fast in Viet Nam in recent years with hundreds of boxers joining local boxing clubs," said Nguyen Manh Hung, head of the boxing section of the National Sports and Physical Training Committee.

While the best seven boxers this year at the cup will represent the national squad for the Asia Women’s Boxing Championships in Taiwan next month, selectors would also evaluate performances to select boxers for the Southeast Asia (SEA) Games in Philippines in December.

Early this year, Hanoian Ta Thi Minh Nghia took a bronze medal for Viet Nam in the women’s 50kg class in the International Boxing Ahment Comert Tournament in Turkey.

Nghia, who won a bronze medal at the Taiwan Amateur Women’s Boxing Tournament last year, beat Georgia’s Sophia in the quarterfinals.

"This is the best result achieved by the country’s women boxers at an international tournament," said coach Nguyen Nhu Cuong. "Though we still lack experience and skill, our women boxers will train hard to be ready for the 23rd SEA Games."

Nghia, who is already in the national women’s squad for the SEA Games, is training with other teammates in China for the games. At the Philippines, women’s boxing will feature as an event for the first time in SEA Games history.