Asian Boxing Championships: India Confident Of Four More Medals

Four Indian boxers, including three women, advanced to the semifinals with magnificent victories as India’s assured medal tally swelled to 12 in the Asian Championships in Dubai. Sanjeet (91kg), Sakshi (54kg), Jaismine (57kg) and the Olympic-bound Simranjit Kaur (60kg) joined Shiva Thapa (64kg) in the last four stage following late night wins in their quarterfinal bouts on Tuesday. They added to the seven medals, including that of six-time world champion M C Mary Kom (51kg), that were confident on the day of draws.

India Open gold-winner Sanjeet defeated Jasur Qurbonov of Tajikistan 5-0 to enter the semifinals in the men’s draw along with Thapa. His next opponent is last edition’s silver-medallist Sanjar Tursunov of Uzbekistan who has been seeded third this year.

In the women’s competition, Sakshi (54kg) got the better of Tajikistan’s Ruhafzo Haqazarova 5-0 to set up a clash against top seed Dina Zholaman of Kazakhstan.

Jaismine edged past Oyuntsetseg Yesugen of Mongolia 4-1 and will now square off against Vladislava Kukhta of Kazakhstan.

Simranjit, who recovered from COVID-19, defeated Raykhona Kodirova of Uzbekistan 4-1. Her next opponent is also a Kazakh in Rimma Volossenko.

On Wednesday, India’s Olympic-bound men pugilists Amit Panghal (52kg), Vikas Krishan (69kg) and Ashish Kumar (75kg) will kick-start their campaign.

World Championships silver-medallist and defending champion Panghal will face Mongolia’s Kharkhuu Enkhmandakh.