Hosts Thailand topped the medal table at the FISU World University Boxing Championships after claiming four gold medals in Chiang Mai ©FISU

Hosts Thailand topped the medal table at the International University Sports Federation (FISU) World University Boxing Championships after claiming four gold medals in Chiang Mai.

Ratchadaporn Saoto picked up the home nation’s first title, defeating Russia’s Natalia Shadrina in the women’s lightweight final.

Saoto had already beaten the Kazakh favourite Nazym Ishchanova in the penultimate round, but kept enough in reserve to earn the first gold of the competition to the delight of the crowd.

Bantamweight Yuttapong Tongdee then won Thailand’s second gold with a convincing win over Japanese revelation Yuki Yamauchi, who firmly established himself as a name to watch for the future.

The impressive footwork of Chuthamat Raksat saw her through to victory over Japan’s Sana Kawano in the women’s flyweight final and took Thailand’s tally to three.

"I used the right tactics against a tough Japanese boxer and tried to be aggressive," said Raksat. 

"To be honest, I had to use all of my skills to beat her."

Tanes Ongjunta secured Thailand’s fourth gold of the tournament by defeating French newcomer Malik Nahim to win the men’s flyweight crown.

Chuthamat Raksat was one of Thailand's four gold medallists at the FISU World University Boxing Championships ©Getty Images
Chuthamat Raksat was one of Thailand's four gold medallists at the FISU World University Boxing Championships ©Getty Images

Kazakhstan and Russia came closest to matching Thailand’s medal haul, winning three golds apiece.

Russia’s Vadim Kudriakov and Chinese Taipei’s Po-Wei Tu both arrived in Thailand full of confidence on the back of excellent junior and youth performances over the last few years, but it was the former who outscored his opponent to win the men’s light flyweight title.

Anton Zaitcev found the golden touch for Russia in the men’s heavyweight final by beating France’s national champion Dylan Bregeon, while compatriot Khariton Agrba registered an impressive win over Kazakhstan’s latest welterweight prospect Bekbolat Kuramyssov.

Kazakhstan’s Didar Utelbayev once again proved why he is one of the most promising lightweight boxers in the world as he beat Russia’s Rustem Mustafaev to gold with an emphatic display.

Fellow countryman Ali Akhmedov delivered another powerful display to beat experienced Belarusian Mikhail Dauhaliavets by TKO and earn the light heavyweight gold.

Nursultan Amanzholov then completed a strong finish for the Kazakh team with victory over the Russian super heavyweight Sergey Smolin.

In the light welterweight final, Ukraine’s Mger Oganisian put in arguably the best performance of his career to defeat Russia’s Alisa Sharifov, before Ukraine Otamans’ World Series of Boxing (WSB) fighter Valerii Kharlamov overcame Artem Garashchuk to win middleweight gold.

Chinese Taipei’s Nien-Chin Chen bounced back from a disappointing Rio 2016 Olympic Games, where she was eliminated in the first round, with a stirring victory over Poland’s Natalia Hollinska to win the women’s middleweight title.