World Boxing Championship | Mary Kom enters final as Lovlina Borgohain seals bronze

Mary Kom, who entered the event with a remarkable tally of five gold medals and a silver to her credit, kept her brilliant form going and beat North Korea's Kim Hyang Mi to reach the 48kg final. The 35-year-old beat her North Korean opponent in a unanimous decision of the five judges in the semifinals and will now try to add another tally to his cabinet by winning the championship that she had last won in 2010 - a 48kg category gold.

Ahead of this World Championship, the girl from Manipur was tied with Ireland’s Katie Taylor (five gold and a bronze) in the number of medals won and considering Taylor now plies her trade in the professional circuit, for Mary Kom, the line is clear. Also, if she can win a medal on Saturday, she will match Cuban men's legend Felix Savon as the joint most successful pugilist in the World Championships history.

"I have beaten the North Korean opponent in the Asian Championships last year and that time it was a one-sided bout. But win or lose, every boxer always learn and I think she has learnt (from that bout). At the same time I also have learnt and I came prepared to defend and counter. I am happy that I am in the final," she said after the bout, reported PTI.

"My opponent was taller than me and strong also. Taller boxers can have the advantage, they can get inside immediately and come back again. But once inside the ring, I don't care whether my opponent is tall or not, I play my game and once I know hers, I do my own," she added.

Meanwhile, in the 69kg category, India’s Lovlina Borgohain secured the bronze medal after losing to Chen Nien-Chin of Chinese Taipei in the semifinals.