Busenaz Sürmeneli is a female boxer who represents Türkiye at the international level. Competing in the 66 kg weight category, the athlete has gained recognition through Olympic and world championship titles and has achieved various successes in different competitions. Her career achievements have played a significant role in the development of women’s boxing in Türkiye.

Early Life and Education

Busenaz Sürmeneli was born on 25 January 1998 in Trabzon. From an early age she showed interest in sports and began competing in boxing. Throughout her education she continued her athletic career and eventually rose to the national team.

Beginning of International Sporting Career

Sürmeneli achieved her first major international success in 2019. At the Women’s World Boxing Championships held in New Delhi India she won the gold medal in the 66 kg category.

Tokyo 2020 Olympics

At the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo Sürmeneli competed in the 66 kg category and won the gold medal in this event.

Busenaz Sürmeneli at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games (AA)

2022 Women’s World Boxing Championship

In 2022 Sürmeneli competed in the 66 kg category at the Women’s World Boxing Championship organized by the International Boxing Association (IBA) in Istanbul. She won the gold medal at this championship. During the same tournament Türkiye won a total of five gold medals achieving the highest ever result in the history of women’s boxing in the country.

2025 World Championship and Third World Championship Title

In 2025 Sürmeneli competed in the 66 kg category at the Women’s World Boxing Championship held in Niš Serbia. She defeated Slovak boxer Tamara Kubalova in the quarterfinals and host nation athlete Anastasija Lukajic in the semifinals. In the final she defeated Uzbek boxer Navbakhor Khamidova 5–0 to win the gold medal. With this result she became world champion for the third time following her victories in 2019 and 2022.

Other International Achievements

In addition to the World Championships and Olympic Games Busenaz Sürmeneli has also won gold medals at the European Championships the European Games and the Mediterranean Games.

Contributions to Women’s Boxing

Following the results of the 2022 World Championship an increase in interest in women’s boxing in Türkiye was observed. Registration numbers at boxing gyms affiliated with provincial directorates of youth and sports rose significantly.

Evaluation in the Context of “Alp Kadın”

Busenaz Sürmeneli was evaluated under the title “An Alp Woman in Turkish Sports” at the International Symposium on “Alp Women in the Turkish World” organized by the Center for Turkish World Applications and Research at Gazi University from 8 to 10 March 2022. This symposium examined women who have struggled in Turkish history and contemporary society.