India’s Thapa secures fifth successive medal at Asian Boxing Championships
Shiva Thapa (left) celebrates after winning the men’s 64kg bout against Nader Odah at the Asian Boxing Championships in Dubai on Tuesday. Supplied picture
With a comprehensive 5-0 victory against Kuwait’s Odah, Assam boxer progressed into the semi-finals and also confirmed his fifth back-to-back medal at the Asian Championships. Previously, Thapa has won one gold (2013), one silver (2017) and two bronze (2015 and 2019) at the Championships.
Showing a fine display of attacking boxing Thapa dominated Odah throughout the bout and hardly gave him any opportunity to score a point. The Indian will have tough task in the last-4 round as he will take on top-seeded Bakhodur Usmonov of Tajikistan.
Earlier on the second day of the prestigious event, which is jointly hosted by the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) and UAE Boxing Federation, Mohammad Hussamuddin went down fighting 1-4 against the reigning world champion and top-seed Mirazizbek Mirzahalilov in the men’s 56kg quarter-finals.
The defending champion Mirzahalilov started the contest with an aggressive intent and saw landing fierce punches. Hussamuddin however tried to gain momentum with a good defence and counter-attacking punches but the experienced Uzbek boxer did not allow Indian any chance of comeback before completing a 4-1 victory in the close-fought game. Third day of the event will see India’s Olympic-bound men pugilists Amit Panghal, Vikas Krishan and Ashish Kumar kick-starting their campaign alongside two other boxers in the quarter-finals on Wednesday.
The World Championships silver medallist and defending champion Panghal will face a strong challenge from Kharkhuu Enkhmandakh in the 52 kg bout. When the duo last met at the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Amman, Jordan last year, the Mongolian boxer had put up a tough fight before the Indian managed to win. The Asian Games champion Vikas Krishan will square off against Iran’s Moslem Malamir in 69kg.
Ashish Kumar (75kg), who clinched silver medal in the last edition of the event, and Narender (+91kg) will also be up against powerful opponents from Kazakhstan. While Ashish will play World Championships and Asian Games silver medallist Abilkhan Amankul, Narender is set to fight against the two-time world championships silver medallist Kamshybek Kunkabayev, who is also aiming for his third successive medal at the Asian Championships.
Current national champion Punjab boxer Varinder Singh (60kg) is the other Indian pugilist who will be looking to confirm a medal for the country as he will take on Jere Cruz of Philippines in lightweight last-8 bout.
In the 81kg opening round bout played late in the night on Monday, Sumit Sangwan suffered a 5-0 defeat against Iranian boxer Meysam Gheshlaghi.
Meanwhile, Iran’s experienced 29-year-old Omid Ahmadisafa, who has won several international tournaments in Kazakhstan, in Mongolia and in a few other countries, proved he was too strong for Kuwait’s newcomer Ali Jasim.
The taller Iranian flyweight (52kg) boxer landed a tough right-handed jab in the first round which decided their contest quickly and the referee confirmed Ahmadisafa’s KO victory.
His team-mate Tokyo Olympian Daniyal Shakhbakhsh used his excellent footwork against Kazakhstan’s Serik Temirzhanov and won their contest by split decision at the lightweight (60kg). The third Iranian success was achieved by their newcomer Meysam Gheslaghi who had a fantastic victory over India’s former London 2012 Olympian veteran Sumit Sangwan.
Afghanistan’s best boxer, Indonesian President’s Cup silver medallist Ramish Rahmani caused the first sensation of the championships, when he eliminated Philippines’ Marvin Tabamo in an exciting flyweight (52kg) contest.
His 20-year-old teammate Hasibullah Malikzadah had also an experienced rival, Tajikistan’s Bakhtovar Sagizov but he dictated the tempo from the first seconds.
Malikzadah landed the stronger punches and he has done excellent job in the ring which delivered a split decision success for the younger Afghan. Their next boxer, Youth Olympian Sultan Mohammad Naeemi stopped Bahrain’s Abdulla Fadhul Hemrat at the light welterweight (64kg).
