Notational Analysis of the Final Matches of the 2023 IBA Women's World Boxing Championships

Background: Recently, elite women's boxing has undergone significant structural and regulatory changes, including the adoption of the 3 x 3-min-bout format and expanded Olympic categories. Despite increased female participation, scientific literature remains predominantly focused on male athletes. This study aimed to identify the technical and tactical actions that distinguish winner from loser boxers in elite amateur women's boxing by analysing the final matches of the 2023 IBA Women's World Boxing Championships. Methods: Twelve final bouts (one per weight-category) were analysed using a customised notational framework based on the offensive-defensive interaction cycle. A total of 1323 offensive and 1456 defensive actions were recorded and categorised using Kinovea (0.9.5 release) software and an Excel dashboard. Offensive Effectiveness Ratio (OER) and Defensive Effectiveness Ratio (DER) were calculated, and Chi-square tests with standardised residuals were applied to detect associations between action types and bout outcomes. Results: Winners performed fewer offensive actions (n = 635) than losers (n = 688) but demonstrated significantly higher OER across all rounds (W: 0.39-0.38-0.39; L: 0.26-0.28-0.29). Winners landed more punches to the head and made greater use of rear-hand hooks and uppercuts. Pivoting and shifting back, particularly when followed by counterattacks, were significantly associated with winners (p < 0.001). Conversely, parrying and single counterpunches were linked to losing outcomes. DER values suggested superior defensive efficiency among winners. Conclusions: Winner boxers showed superior technical effectiveness, selective use of single and rear-hand punches and used more dynamic defensive strategies. These findings support using notational analysis in high-performance coaching and emphasise the need for more research on elite female combat athletes.