Amit in semifinals, 13 medals for India in Asian boxing
India’s male boxer Amit Panghal (52kg), who was ticketed for the Tokyo Olympics, sealed India’s 13th medal in the competition with a place in the semi-finals on Wednesday, the third day of the 2021 ASBC Women’s and Men’s Asian Boxing Championships in Dubai.
Defending champion Panghal, who won a silver medal at the World Championships, defeated Kharkhu Enkhmandakh of Mongolia 3–2 in the 52kg category. The Mongolian boxer gave a tough fight to Ponghal when the two boxers clashed in the Asian Olympic Champion in Amman, Jordan last year, but eventually managed to win the match. Amit Phanghal would take on Kazakhstan maizebaker Sakane Bibosinov in the semi-finals. Amit defeated Saken in the semi-finals of the 2019 World Championship. Later Amit had won the gold of his class.
Earlier, Simranjit Kaur (60 kg), Sakshi (54 kg) and Jasmine (57 kg) made it to the final-4 stage on Tuesday night and six-time world champions MC Mary Kom (51 kg), Lalbutsai (64 kg), Lavlina Borgohain (69 kg), Pooja Rani (75 kg), Monica (48 kg), Sweety (81 kg) and Anupama (+81 kg) were joined. With the success of Simranjeet, Sakshi and Jasmine, Indian women have ensured medals in each weight category.
Shiva Thapa and Sanjeet have also entered the men’s semifinals. The country has now ensured at least 13 bronze medals in this prestigious tournament being jointly organized by the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) and the United Arab Emirates Boxing Federation and has achieved its best ever winning 13 medals two years ago. Has equaled
Simranjit of Punjab, who won a bronze medal at the World Championships, advanced to his second consecutive medal at the Asian Championships, defeating Uzbek boxer Rekhona Kodirova 4–1 in the 60kg weight category final. Simranjeet, who won a silver medal in the previous edition of the same event in 2019, will now face Rimma Voloshenko of Kazakhstan in the semi-finals on Thursday.
Sakshi and Jasmine also won easy in their respective categories. Sakshi won the semi-finals against 2016 World Champion and Kazakhstan’s top seeded Dinah Zholaman by defeating Tajikistan’s Ruhafzo Hakazarova 5–0.
Similarly, Jasmine progressed to her first medal at the Asian Championships, defeating Mongolian boxer Oyuntsetseg Yesugen by a 4–1 margin. Jasmin will now face Kazakhstan’s Vladislav Kukhta in the semi-finals.
All 10 Indian women boxers, including six-time world champion Mary Kom, will be seen in action on the fourth day of the tournament on Thursday. They will all play semi-final matches in their respective categories.
