Sürmeneli is to defend her under-69 kilograms title at the Başakşehir Youth and Sports Facility, starting off with a preliminary match against Italian world silver medallist Angela Carini.

Carini was runner-up one weight class down at the 2019 World Championships in Ulan-Ude.

Turkey will fancy their chances of topping the medals table, with more athletes primed for a podium.

European Games champion and 2019 world silver medallist Buse Naz Çakıroğlu is one of them in the under-50kg, likewise Elif Güneri in the under-81kg tournament and Şennur Demir in the over-81kg.

European bronze medallist Esra Yıldız and Büşra Işıldar, three times a junior European champion, are in the line-up too.

A record number of nations and territories are due to compete at the IBA Women's World Boxing Championships, with 73 nationalities registered and 310 boxers.

Sürmeneli is not the only defending champion in Istanbul - Brazilian Beatriz Ferreira is one of the biggest names at the event, with the Olympic silver medallist defending her under-57kg crown.

Chinese Taipei's Huang Hsiao-wen is the reigning under-51kg champion and Nesthy Petecio from the Philippines returns at under-54kg.

Ferreira is coming off the back of a victory at the American Boxing Confederation Championships last month, while Huang became the first Taiwanese boxer to win an Olympic medal when she won bronze at Tokyo 2020.

World number one Kellie Harrington from Ireland was due to be one of the favourites, having beaten Ferreira in a Tokyo 2020 final, but is out with a hand injury.

Other nations expected to excel include India and Kazakhstan, while Russia and Belarus are missing due to the invasion of Ukraine leading to a ban on the nations' athletes being issued by the IBA.

It is to be the second time Turkey holds the event after Antalya played host in 2002.

The IBA is also due to hold an Extraordinary Congress on Friday (May 13) and Saturday (May 14), which includes a Presidential election, while the boxing action is to conclude on May 20.