Sparsh wins, India starts campaign with victory in Asian Elite Boxing
Sparsh Kumar started India’s campaign with a win at the ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships with a one-sided victory in the men’s 51kg category on Tuesday. Sparsh easily defeated Kyrgyzstan’s Dyushebaev Nurzhigit 5-0 in the round of 32. The Punjab boxer dominated the opposition boxer with quick foot movement and precise punches. Sparsh will face Olympic bronze medalist and defending world champion Saken Bibosinov in the pre-quarterfinals on Wednesday.
On Tuesday, Lakshya Chahar (80kg) will open his campaign against Tajikistan’s Shabbos Negmatuloev in the pre-quarterfinal match. Five-time Asian medalist Shiv Thapa (63.5kg) along with seven other Indian male boxers Anant (54kg), Husamuddin (57kg), Etash Khan (60kg), Amit Kumar (67kg), Sachin (71kg) kg), Lakshya (80kg) and Kapil (86kg) will start their campaign from the pre-quarterfinals.
Govind Sahni (48kg), Sumit (75kg), Naveen (92kg) and Narendra (above 92kg) will start their campaign from the quarterfinals after getting byes in the first round. Among women’s boxers, Tokyo Olympics bronze medalist Lovlina Borgohain will square off against 2016 world champion Valentina Khaljova of Kazakhstan in the quarterfinals on Saturday. Lovlina, who changed her weight category from 69kg, will be playing her first international tournament in the 75kg category here.
World Championships 2018 bronze medalist Simranjit Kaur (60kg) will take on Asian Games gold medalist and two-time Asian Championships gold medalist Yeonji Oh of Korea in the quarterfinals. Other women boxers include Monika (48kg), Meenakshi (52kg), Sakshi (54kg), Preeti (57kg), Parveen (63kg), Ankushita Boro (66kg), Pooja (70kg) and Savita (50kg). kg) will begin the campaign with the last eight stages. Sweety (81kg) and Alfia Pathan (+81kg) will advance directly to the semi-finals. 267 boxers from 27 countries are participating in the tournament. In the last season held in Dubai, the Indian contingent had won 16 medals and ensured the country’s best.
