Nguyễn Thị Thu Nhi trains at the Cocky Buffalo club in HCM City to prepare for her WBO title fight in April. Photo courtesy of Cocky Buffalo Boxing Thanh Hà HÀ NỘI — Nguyễn Thị Thu Nhi will have to wait till April for her chance to become the first Vietnamese world female boxing champion after her fight was delayed. Instead of being dismayed, the pint-sized boxer has taken the delay as an opportunity to sharpen her technique to prepare for her date with destiny. The World Boxing Organization (WBO) agreed to move the mini flyweight (48kg) title defence between Thu and Japanese boxer Etsuko Tada to April, about two months after it was scheduled to be held. The delay was needed as Tada could not travel to Việt Nam in February due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was the second time that the bout was postponed after being originally scheduled for last April in South Korea. “It is sad that it was delayed again while I am in good mood and preparing well for it,” Nhi told Việt Nam News . “However, thinking again I told myself that I would have more time to sharpen my skills and improve my tactics. It may help to increase my chances of winning,” she said. Nhi is Việt Nam's first WBO Asia Pacific Boxing champion after taking the title last February in Cambodia. She won on points after defeating Kanyarat Yoohanngoh of Thailand in a 10-round fight. The 25-year-old lacks international experience in contrast to seasoned pro Tada who has fought for more than a decade and grabbed a number of titles. “The Japanese fighter is really strong and a senior in this field compared to me,” Nhi said about her 39-year-old opponent. “But I also have my strong points. I am younger and confident. It is okay if I unfortunately lose in a match that I do my best. Then I will fight again in another match until I can win.” “My coaches said my technique is fairly good so they asked me to spend more time on my physique because Japanese athletes have …
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