India’s veteran boxer and four-time champion Mary Kom return in the boxing ring was a successful one as she defeated Diem Kieu in the 48 kg category at the Asian Boxing Championship.

The former champion who was fighting in her first major tournament since the 2016 World Championships, started off slowly but gradually gained momentum in the second round. The vet didn’t waste time and began dominating the match but the local favourite displayed her skill in the final three minutes of the match.

However, Mary upped her ante to defend the game as she launched severe blows and eventually got better of her opponent. The Indian will face Meng-Chieh Ping (Chinese Taipei) in the quarterfinals.