Kazakh boxer Natalya Bogdanova has secured another medal for the national team at the XX Summer Asian Games 2026 in Japan, infohub.kz reports.
The reigning world champion competes in the 75-kilogram weight class and entered the tournament directly at the quarterfinal stage. Her opponent at this stage was Aziza Zokirova of Uzbekistan, a medalist at world and Asian championships.
The first round went to her opponent on all the judges' scorecards. Bogdanova, however, then seized the initiative and won by split decision, 4:1.
The Kazakh fighter has thus advanced to the semifinals and guaranteed herself at least a bronze medal. She will face Lovlina Borgohain of India for a place in the final bout.
Natalya Bogdanova is the reigning world champion in the 70-kilogram weight class. The International Federation World Boxing named her the best female boxer of 2025.
At the previous Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2022, the Kazakh athlete already reached the podium, taking bronze in the 66-kilogram division.