Huang Hsiao-wen's third world boxing gold shows she's real deal: Coach

Taipei, Sept. 15 (CNA) Amateur boxing champion Huang Hsiao-wen (黃筱雯) has struggled in 2025, but her gold medal at the 2025 World Boxing Championships on Sunday should put to rest any doubts she may be past her prime, her coach Liu Tsung-tai (劉宗泰) said.

Huang defeated Yoseline Perez of the United States in Liverpool, England, winning 4-1 in the women's 54-kilogram division final of the championships to become the first Taiwanese boxer to achieve that feat three times.

She broke into tears when she heard the decision, collapsed to the ground, and covered her face in her hands, suddenly relieved of the stress built up from a medal-less year leading up to the tournament.

"This gold medal was really hard-fought, especially because boxing was almost excluded from the Olympic Games," Liu told CNA after the bout. "Hsiao-wen has won three world championship golds in six years. Now no one can say she won them by sheer luck."

This tournament was the inaugural edition of World Boxing's world championships. Huang's first two titles came in 2019 and 2023 at the Women's World Boxing Championships held by the International Boxing Association (IBA).

World Boxing is the new international body for Olympic-style boxing, provisionally recognized by the International Olympic Committee, after the IBA lost credibility due to serious governance, financial, and ethical issues, including alleged ties to the Russian government.

In addition to her struggles in 2025, Liu's remark may have also alluded to Huang's first-round exit from the Paris Games, following her bronze medal at the Tokyo Games in 2021 when she won Taiwan's first Olympic boxing medal.

Liu attributed Huang's triumph to her aggressive third round against Perez on Sunday.

"I told Hsiao-wen the bout was all about the third round. Her opponent's punches were heavy and could be very effective if they landed, so I told her she had to go on the attack," he said.

The 28-year-old Huang and Perez were even after the first two rounds, but the Taiwanese edged past the American in the final round to win the bout 29-28 on the scorecards of four of the five judges. The judge from Guatemala had Perez the winner by 30-27.

Huang revealed that she had fought through great pain as she sought the gold.

She hurt her right thumb on the last day of her training in South Korea in August, she said, and with the swelling in her thumb worsening, the only option for Huang was to try to tolerate it as she prepared for the World Boxing Championships.

Recalling her treatment at the Taiwan Sports Training Center, Huang said: "At one point the doctors even pricked seven holes in my thumb to drain blood and reduce the swelling. I've always been terrified of needles, so I screamed nonstop during every treatment."

During the tournament, she had to take painkillers every day, and she admitted being anxious about it until just before stepping into the ring on Sunday.

"I had worried about hurting my right thumb again during the bouts. It wasn't until before the final bout that I told myself: 'Let's forget about it. It's the last bout. If it breaks, it breaks.'"

Huang said the gold medal has greatly boosted her confidence, but she emphasized that this was not the end.

"Now everyone knows my style and will study me closely. I have to keep improving," she said.