Africa Secures First Medal at IBA Women's World Boxing Championships

Africa is officially on the medal table! Morocco's Widad Bertal delivered a stunning performance to secure the continent’s first medal at the Women's World Boxing Championships in Nis, Serbia.

The top-seeded Moroccan bantamweight showcased her dominance in the quarter-finals, overpowering Vietnam’s Paris Olympian Vo Thi Kin Anh with a third-round stoppage.

Bertal, a two-time African champion and African Games gold medallist, dictated the pace of the fight with sharp combinations and precise jabs. Her relentless attacks forced two standing counts on her Vietnamese opponent, signaling an early end to the contest.

A powerful one-two to the head in the opening seconds of the third round led to another standing count for Anh, prompting the referee to step in and stop the fight, confirming Bertal’s victory and Africa’s guaranteed place on the podium.

Bertal, who was also a quarter-finalist at the Paris Olympics, now advances to the semi-finals with her sights set on gold.