2024 Boxing 2nd World Qualification Tournament: Preview and how to watch live
The Road to Paris 2024 is reaching its terminus. Qualification opportunities are at a premium and boxing is no exception. With 51 quotas at stake, including 23 for women and 28 for men, the 2nd World Qualification Tournament in Bangkok from 24 May to 2 June will offer boxers a final chance to secure a quota for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Quota places will be on offer across 13 weight classes, six for women and seven for men, at the Indoor Stadium Huamark. The venue has a long history of hosting major sporting events, such as the 1998 Asian Games and 2012 FIFA Futsal World Cup, yet, the 2nd World Qualification Tournament may be the fiercest competition to take place in the stadium to date.
With only a limited number of quotas available in each weight class, don’t expect any punches to be pulled in the Thai capital. The tournament will be the third and final chance for most boxers to earn a quota for the Olympics Games after the continental qualification tournaments and the 1st World Qualification Tournament in Busto Arsizio, Italy.
In total, 188 quota places have already been obtained by 56 National Olympic Committees and the Refugee Olympic Team*. Australia leads the way with 12 quotas, but no nation has acquired the maximum amount of athlete quotas available in boxing.
Olympic Champions Arlen López, Kellie Harrington and Estelle Mossely have already obtained a quota for Paris 2024. However, Olympic medalists Mohammed Rabii and Carlo Paalam are among those who remain without quotas heading into the 2nd World Qualification Tournament.
Read on to find out everything you need to know about the 2nd World Qualification Tournament in Bangkok, Thailand.
*As National Olympic Committees have the exclusive authority for the representation of their respective countries at the Olympic Games, athletes' participation at the Paris Games depends on their NOC selecting them to represent their delegation at Paris 2024.
How can quota places be obtained at boxing's 2nd World Qualification Tournament?
National Olympic Committees (NOC) will only be allowed to enter boxers in weight classes where they have not secured a quota place for Paris 2024. They will be limited to one boxer per weight class, and subject to general athlete eligibility requirements.
A direct single-elimination bracket will determine the allocation of the quota places. Bouts will only be held to the point necessary for the allocation of quotas, meaning no medal matches or awards ceremonies will be held as part of the 2nd World Qualification Tournament.
Here is a breakdown of the quotas available in each weight class in Bangkok.
Women
50kg - 4 quotas
54kg - 4 quotas
57kg - 4 quotas
60kg - 3 quotas
66kg - 4 quotas
75kg - 4 quotas
Men
51kg - 4 quotas
57kg - 3 quotas
63.5kg - 5 quotas
71kg - 5 quotas
80kg - 3 quotas
92kg - 4 quotas
+92kg - 4 quotas
Olympic medallists to keep an eye on in Bangkok
There are at least nine former medalists expected to challenge for a quota place at the 2nd World Qualification Tournament.
Moroccan Mohammed Rabii stands out as one of the biggest names yet to qualify for Paris 2024. He became the 69kg weight class world champion in 2015, and followed it up with a bronze medal at the Olympic Games Rio 2016.
He missed Tokyo 2020, but a gap in his Olympic participation certainly didn’t stop him from boxing. He became African Champion in the 75kg weight class last year, and is now looking to qualify for his second Olympic Games at 30 years old.
Huang Hsiao-wen also stands out amongst the boxers entered at the 2nd World Qualification Tournament. The Tokyo 2020 bronze medalist and two-time world champion representing Chinese Taipei will certainly welcome another chance to qualify for Paris 2024.
Despite coming into the 1st World Qualification Tournaments as a favourite in the women’s 54kg weight class, she failed to secure a quota place. She’ll definitely be a fierce opponent in Bangkok.
Italy’s Vincenzo Mangiacapre won’t be an easy boxer to beat either. The 35-year-old Olympic bronze medallist is looking to qualify for his third Olympics after two years away from competitive boxing.
While he may not have fought any recent bouts, his prior experience could be critical as he tries to out-box opponents like Samuel Takyi. However, as the Ghanaian proved at Tokyo 2020, excellence can come from boxers both young and old.
Ghana’s boxing star was just 20 years old when he won a bronze medal at Tokyo 2020. It’s been a tumultuous year for Takyi, who celebrated a home victory at the African Games, but lost in his first bout at the 1st World Qualification Tournament in Italy. Nonetheless, he will lace up his gloves for another chance at qualification in the Thai capital.
More Olympic hopefuls to cheer for at boxing's 2nd Qualification Tournament
Thai boxers will look to build on the strong record of their boxing team, who have won 15 medals at the Olympic Games. Tokyo 2020 Olympian Baison Manikon will be amongst the home athletes seeking quotas for Paris 2024.
Originally a muay thai fighter, she transitioned to boxing as a teenager on the invitation of the national boxing chief Somchai Poolsawat. After only four years in sport, she qualified for her first Olympic Games. Three years on, she’s an Asian Games medallist and Asian championships runner-up. Expect home fans to provide her with plenty of support at the Indoor Stadium Huamark.
Many nations will also attempt to qualify their first boxers for Paris 2024. Grace Fahnbulleh and Frederick Kiwitt will look to add Liberia to the roster of nations competing at Paris 2024, while Adrien Davin Carrasco will hope to become the second-ever boxer from Bolivia to compete under the five rings.
The French delegation will also hope to increase their quota haul ahead of Paris 2024. The 19 year-old boxer Yojerlin Cesar will certainly be one to watch.
The Guadeloupean was crowned U22 European Champion in 2023, and will look to make history as the youngest boxer to represent France at the Olympic Games since 1984.
Schedule for the 2nd World Qualification Tournament
The full schedule for the 2nd World Qualification Tournament is as follows (all times local and subject to change):
Friday 24 May: Preliminaries, 13:00 - 22:15
Saturday 25 May: Preliminaries, 13:00 - 22:00
Sunday 26 May: Preliminaries, 13:00 - 22:30
Monday 27 May: Preliminaries, 13:00 - 22:30
Tuesday 28 May: Preliminaries, 11:00 - 23:30
Wednesday 29 May: Preliminaries, 13:00 - 22:15
Thursday 30 May: Preliminaries, 13:00 - 22:30
Friday 31 May: Preliminaries, Quarter-finals, Quata bouts, 13:00 - 22:15
Saturday 1 June: Preliminaries, Quota bouts, 13:00 - 21:30
Sunday 2 June: Quota bouts, 13:00 - 20:45
2nd World Qualification Tournament: How to watch live
The 2nd World Qualification Tournament for Paris 2024 will be streamed live on Olympics.com.