NEW DELHI: Former world youth champion Ankushita Boro prevailed over Namuun Monkhor of Mongolia in the 60 kg category while Abhimanyu Loura went down against Ireland’s Kelyn Cassidy in the second round of the 80 kg weight category in the 2nd Boxing World qualifiers for Paris Olympics in Bangkok, Thailand, on Monday.
Boro, the first Indian woman in action in what is the final chance for the pugilist to book a Paris Olympic berth, began strong against her young Mongolian opponent. She effectively blunted Monkhor’s speedy movements by tactically shifting gears to carve out a 4-1 win after three keenly-contested rounds, as per a press release from the Boxing Federation of India (BFI).
However, it was not an outing to remember for Loura. The National championships bronze medallist came into the second-round clash against two-time Irish champion Cassidy, high on confidence after beating Bulgaria’s 10-time national champion Kristiyan Nikolov in a thrilling encounter.
But Cassidy was well prepared for the long reach of his opponent and went on to win 0-5 despite Loura giving his all in the final round.
On Tuesday, Sachin Siwach (57kg), Abhinash Jamwal (63.5kg) and Nishant Dev (71kg) will look to continue their march towards their quest for an Olympic quota. Abhinash Jamwal and Nishant Dev comfortably won their respective 63.5kg and 71kg bouts in Bangkok on Sunday.
Jamwal, who has replaced Olympian Shiva Thapa in the 2nd qualifiers, was at his dominant best against Andriejus Lavrenovas of Lithuania in his first-round bout. The Himachal Pradesh boxer was clinical with his punches in the opening round and only dominated the ring further as his confidence sore higher to earn a unanimous 5-0 verdict from the judges.
Later in the day the World Championship Bronze medallist boxer, Nishant Dev also ensured a dominating 5-0 win over Armando Bighafa of Guinea-Bissau. Dev never looked under any kind of pressure as he controlled the bout from the very first minute and continued with his flurry of punches in the second round too to put the opponent completely at the back foot and secure the judges unanimous verdict without any doubt.
Loura displayed his never say die attitude to pack-off Bulgaria’s Kristiyan Nikolov in a thrilling first round clash in the 80kg category in the 2nd Boxing World Qualifiers for Paris Olympics in Bangkok on Saturday.
Loura started slow as the 10-time Bulgarian National Champion took an upper hand in the opening round. But the 21-year-old Indian quickly switched gears and went on the offensive in the second round and earned the bragging rights for the round with four of the five judges voting in favour of him.
The Indian continued the flurry of punches in the third and final round too, to finally clinch the bout 3-0 and ensure two wins out of two for the Indian contingent in Bangkok.
Earlier, it was Sachin Siwach who had opened India’s account with a win in the 57kg category against Alex Mukuka of New Zealand on Friday. Sachin will face Frederik Jensen of Denmark, Jamwal will take on Colombia’s Jose Manuel Viafara Fory and Nishant Dev meets Otgonbaatar Byamba-Erdene of Mongolia.
India have already secured three quotas for the Paris Games with Nikhat Zareen (women’s 50kg), Preeti (54kg) and Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) confirming their berths by winning bronze medals at the 2022 Asian Games. India have fielded seven men and three women boxers in the 2nd world qualifiers and five of them have received an opening round bye. (ANI)
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