Nazym Kyzaibay recounts her rise from a young boxer to Central Asia’s first female three-time world boxing champion and an Olympic bronze medallist.
Nazym Kyzaibay is one of Central Asia’s leading athletes and a pioneering figure in women’s boxing in Kazakhstan.
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She is a three-time world champion and a bronze medallist at the Paris 2024 Olympics. In 2026, she continues to compete internationally and has already won a World Cup stage in China.
But her journey began at a time when women’s boxing in Kazakhstan was only starting to grow.
She began her sporting career in rhythmic gymnastics, but in 2008 Kyzaibay chose boxing instead. As one of the first female boxers of her generation to make the national team, she was part of a group of athletes who helped lay the foundation for women’s boxing in Kazakhstan.
“My first competition was the Kazakhstan Championships in Almaty. I had four fights there and won the national title for the first time,” said Nazym Kyzaibay.
After winning her first national title, Kyzaibay began competing internationally.
“My first World Championship was in the junior category. I was already part of the women’s national team, but I was still very young,” she added.
“In 2011, the championship was held in Turkey, where I won bronze. Then, in 2012, I competed in the senior category in China and won another bronze medal.”
Her first breakthrough came in 2014. At the World Championships in Jeju, South Korea, Kyzaibay won a gold medal, becoming the first Kazakh woman to win a world boxing title. Two years later, she won the title again at the World Championships in Astana.
In 2024, she made her Olympic debut in Paris. She reached the semi-finals, where she lost to China’s Wu Yu. Nazym Kyzaibay took bronze, marking a historic achievement for women’s boxing in Central Asia.
Her Olympic medal was not the end of her career.
In 2025, Kyzaibay returned to the top of world boxing. At the World Championships in Serbia, she won her third world title.
Looking beyond the ring
Nazym Kyzaibay is not planning to leave competitive boxing yet. Her main goal is still Olympic gold.
“Kazakhstan does not have an Olympic gold medal in women’s boxing or a gold medal at the Asian Games yet. Winning gold is the dream of all of us on the national team,” she said.
She is also thinking about what comes after her boxing career. She says she would like to become a coach.
“I have spent so many years in boxing and gained a lot of experience. I want to share it with other athletes, especially young boxers, and help create new champions
