The Barys Arena will host the nine-day tournament as 285 boxers from 64 countries battle for world titles in 10 categories, including flyweight, lightweight and middleweight, each of which will offer four Olympic quotas. 

Ireland’s Katie Taylor and India’s Mary Kom will both be chasing a record sixth global crown, while the United States’ Claressa Shields, Britain’s Nicola Adams and China's Ren Cancan also among the favourites for a gold medal.

Having suffered a shock semi-final defeat at last month’s International Boxing Association (AIBA) European Olympic Qualification Event in Samsun in Turkey, Olympic lightweight champion Taylor will have to reach at least the last four to secure her place at Rio 2016.

The London 2012 gold medallist lost her encounter against Azerbaijan’s Yana Alekseevna, ending a run of 62-straight victories that stretched back to a multi-nation tournament in Bulgaria in 2011.

Olympic flyweight champion Adams ensured her place at Rio 2016 on her way to winning gold in Samsun, while London 2012 middleweight gold medallist Shields earned the right to defend her Olympic crown with success at the AIBA American Olympic Qualification Event in Buenos Aires in March.

Flyweight Kom suffered a semi-final loss at the hands of Cancan at the AIBA Asian/Oceanian Olympic Qualification Event in Qian’an in China. 

With only the gold and silver medallists qualifying for Rio 2016 in the Chinese city, the five-time world champion and London 2012 bronze medallist will now have another shot at securing her place here in Astana.

AIBA President CK Wu believes the World Championships will raise the profile of women’s boxing around the globe. 

"We are both fortunate and hugely proud to have iconic champions, young talents and inspirational figures taking part in Astana, and the city of Astana is ready to begin another sporting journey by which future tournaments can be measured," he said.

"I am confident we will experience an amazing event in a country with a long-standing boxing tradition."

Having claimed Kazakhstan’s first ever title at flyweight during the 2014 World Championships in Jeju, South Korea, Nazym Kyzaibay once again features on the host nation’s team.

She will now box at light flyweight as she aims to take gold in her home city, with Zhaina Shekerbekova occupying the flyweight berth.

Further gold medal hopes for Kazakhstan come in the form of experienced light heavyweight Yulduz Mamatkulova and heavyweight Lazzat Kungeibayeva, both of whom already have World Championship silver medals to their names.

A quarter-finalist two years ago, Dina Zholaman is among the favourites at bantamweight, while Rimma Volosenko replaces Nazym Ishchanova in the side at lightweight and Aizhan Khodzhabekova joins the team at featherweight.

"I want to show my development in Astana and win a medal at the AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships," said Kazakh newcomer Khodzhabekova.

"I am working hard and I know it will be difficult but my relatives and friends are supporting me so I believe.

"All my team-mates are also training hard to surprise our fans and we want to take the opportunity to thank them."

Among the 73 nations represented at the World Championships will be Jordan, Mozambique and Sierra Leone, who are all making their debuts. 

Bolat Abdrakhmanov, chairman of the Local Organising Committee, claims the standard of boxing will be the strongest in the history of the event. 

"We are ready to reflect that by putting on a world-class tournament here in Astana," he said.

"Kazakhstan has hosted major boxing events, including the 2013 AIBA Men’s World Championships and of course our own Astana Arlans WSB (World Series of Boxing) team matches.

"We have built on those experiences and are ready to do boxing, and our country, proud by staging another memorable tournament to the pleasure of our truly passionate fans."

The official draw for the World Championships took place at the Rixos Hotel in Astana this afternoon following the weigh-in earlier in the day.

In the week leading up to the event, the Kazakhstan Boxing Federation has been hosting an AIBA one-star women’s coaching course.

The course covers theory, practical and technical aspects of coaching, and is designed to help bring out the new generation of women’s coaches within the sport.