Asian Elite Boxing Championships: Husamuddin and Lovlina in semi-finals
Two-time Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Mohammed Hussamuddin assured India of another medal by storming into the semi-finals of the ongoing ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships in Amman, Jordan on Sunday. Against South Korea’s Heungseok Lee in the quarter-finals, Husamuddin (57kg) lost early as rival boxing hit him with some precise punches in the first round. Amid fears of a turnaround, Hasamuddin took advantage of his experience to make a comeback.
He dominated the next two rounds with an aggressive approach and sealed another medal for India as they registered a 5-0 win. Husamuddin will take on 2021 World Championships silver medalist Serik Temirza in the semi-finals on November 10. In another quarterfinal, Thailand Open gold medalist Anant Chopade (54kg) crashed out of the competition with a 0-4 loss to Kyrgyzstan’s Sedekmatov Senzhai. Five-time Asian Championship medalists Shiv Thapa (63.5kg), Amit Kumar (67kg), Govind Kumar Sahni (48kg), Monika (48kg) and Simranjit Kaur (60kg) reached their respective quarterfinals on Sunday. Will go to the ring.
Ankushita Boro (56kg) and Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) also made it to the semi-finals on Saturday night. Olympic bronze medalist Lovlina secured a medal by making it to the semi-finals with a win over Kazakhstan’s Valentina Khalzova in the quarterfinals. Lovlina needed just one win among five boxers to ensure at least a bronze medal as the 25-year-old advanced to the semi-finals with a 3-2 win over Khaljowa in a split decision late Saturday night.
The Assam boxer won a bronze medal in the 69kg category at the Tokyo Olympics. She has now started playing in the 75kg category as the 69kg category is not included in the Paris Olympics. Ankushita has also made it to the semi-finals. The 22-year-old boxer scored a 5-0 win over Japan’s Subata Arsia in the last eight. Pooja (70kg), however, came to an end in the tournament. She lost 0-5 to Dariga Shakimova of Kazakhstan.
