NEW DELHI: Following news of hanging up her gloves earlier, six-time world champion and 2012 Olympic medallist Mangte Chungneijang Mary Kom shot down suggestions that she had announced her retirement from boxing on Thursday.
In a statement, the legendary boxer said that she would personally come in front of the media when she retires. “Dear Friends from the media, I haven’t announced my retirement yet and I have been misquoted. I will personally come in front of the media whenever I want to announce it”, Mary Kom said in a statement.
News about the six-time world champion’s retirement started doing the rounds after she stated at a school event in Dibrugarh on Wednesday that the age limit in the Olympics doesn’t allow her to participate
The 41-year-old cleared all the doubts and added that she was at a school event in Dibrugarh on Wednesday, where the boxer was “motivating children”. “I have gone through some media reports stating that I have announced retirement and this is not true. I was attending a school event in Dibrugarh on January 24, 2024 wherein I was motivating children”, said Kom.
“I still have a hunger to achieve in sports but the age limit in the Olympics doesn’t allow me to participate, though I can carry on with my sport. I am still focusing on my fitness and whenever I announce my retirement, I will inform everyone”, her statement added.
Mary is the first female boxer in boxing history to have captured six world titles. The five-time Asian champion was the first female boxer from India to take home a gold medal at the 2014 Asian Games.
The experienced pugilist won a bronze medal in the London 2012 Olympic Games, leaving any record or title untouched. She introduced herself to the world at the age of 18 at the inaugural world meet in Scranton, Pennsylvania.
With her near-flawless boxing style, she impressed everyone and made it to the final of the 48kg category. She fell short in the final but left a mark on the success that she was going to achieve in the future.
In the coming years, she went on to become the first Indian to win a gold medal at the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships. She went on to clinch the World Championship titles in 2005, 2006, 2008 and the 2010 editions. After winning the 2008 title, Mary went on a break after giving birth to her twins.
After winning the 2012 Olympic medal, Mary once again went on a break after giving birth to her third child. She marked her return but sealed her place at the summit of the 2018 World Championships, which was held in Delhi.
She dominated with a 5-0 win over Ukraine’s Hanna Okhota for her sixth world title. A year later, she went on to clinch her eighth world medal, the most by any male or female boxer. (ANI)