Harrington, who lost to China’s Yang Wenlu in the light welterweight final in 2016 before dropping down to lightweight, won by unanimous decision at the Indian capital's KD Jadhav Indoor Hall.

It moves her a step closer to emulating Ireland's five-time world lightweight champion Katie Taylor, who coincidentally won the first of her quintet of titles in New Delhi in 2006.

Standing between Harrington and the gold medal is Thailand’s Sudaporn Seesondee, who defeated South Korea’s Oh Yeonji 4-1 in the other semi-final.

Also advancing to the final today was home favourite Mary Kom as the 35-year-old overcame North Korea’s Kim Hyang Mi in the light flyweight division.

The Indian star is bidding to claim a sixth world title which, if achieved, would see her tie Cuban legend Félix Savón as the most decorated AIBA boxer of all time.

Awaiting Kom in the final is Ukraine’s Hanna Okhota, a 5-0 winner over Japan’s Madoka Wada, as she became her country’s first-ever gold medal match competitor in the history of the event.

China qualified two fighters for the finals today with welterweight Gu Hong beating Germany’s Nadine Apetz 4-1 and light heavyweight Wang Lina defeating Turkey’s Elif Guneri by the same scoreline.  

Gu’s last opponent will be Chinese Taipei’s Chen Nien-Chin, a 4-0 victor at the expense of India’s Lovlina Borgohain, while Wang will next face Colombia’s first-time finalist Jessica Sinisterra, a 4-1 winner over Belarus’ Viktoria Kebikava. 

Chinese Taipei also have a shot at the gold medal in the bantamweight division after Lin Yu-Ting overcame Australia’s Kristy Lee Harris 5-0 today.

Hoping to deny her glory will be Bulgaria’s Stoyka Petrova, who beat Mongolia’s Nandintsetseg Myagmardulam in the penultimate round.

The remaining 10 semi-finals are due to take place tomorrow.

They will be spread across the flyweight, featherweight, light welterweight, middleweight and heavyweight divisions.

All 10 finals are scheduled for Saturday (November 24).