Record six Indian boxers in C`wealth C`ship finals
Amandeep Singh (49kg) out-punched Malaysian M Redzuan while Jai Bhagwan (60kg) didn`t even step inside the ring to make the finals as a record six Indians assured themselves of at least a silver in the fifth C`wealth C`ship.
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New Delhi: Hockey-player-turned-boxer
Amandeep Singh (49kg) out-punched Malaysian M Redzuan while
Jai Bhagwan (60kg) didn`t even step inside the ring to make
the finals as a record six Indians assured themselves of at
least a silver in the fifth Commonwealth Championships here
today.
Good news started trickling in early in the day for India
when Asian Championship silver medallist Jai got a walkover
into the finals after his English opponent Danny Philips was
found medically unfit in the weigh-in this morning. Jai will
face Bahamian Valention Knowles in the final tomorrow.
The man who did go to the ring did not disappoint the
home fans either.
Amandeep, a gold medallist from the January South Asian
Games in Dhaka, thrashed Malaysian M Redzuan 7-1 in a lopsided
bout to enter the final. He will now face Kenya`s Peter
Mungai, who notched up a 7-0 win over Botswana`s Bathusi
Mogajane.
With world number one Vijender Singh (75kg), Asian
champion Suranjoy Singh (52kg), World Cup bronze medallist
Dinesh Kumar (81kg) and Asian bronze medallist Paramjeet
Samota already through to the finals, the Indian team is in
contention for lifting the team championship as well.
In the only bout to feature a local favourite today,
Amandeep fought from long range to get past his opponent, who
was aggressive throughout. A few jabs earned Amandeep a crucial 3-0 lead in the
opening round and though he couldn`t add to the tally in the
next three minutes, the Indian ensured that none of his
opponent`s wild swings could get to him.
"My opponent was slightly slow and that helped my cause,"
the 23-year-old Punjab boxer said after the bout.
In the final three minutes, Amandeep landed a couple of
powerful hooks to increase the lead, adding to Redzuan`s
frustration, who was penalised two points for bending
excessively.
"The plan was to take a good lead in the opening round
and guard that. We wanted to be safer in the second round
because a tall boxer like Amandeep is an easy prey for wild
swings by shorter boxers. So he likes to fight from long
range," said national coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu.
"Amandeep is again facing a southpaw in the final
tomorrow," he added.
Looking ahead at tomorrow`s final, Sandhu said the
performance of his wards has surpassed his expectations
"But finals are not going to be a cakewalk. They are
tough but hopefully our boys will do well. They are very
motivated," he said.
Meanwhile, Englishman Ian Weaver, who beat Commonwealth
Games gold medallist Akhil Kumar in the 56kg quarterfinals,
eked out another shocker by ousting Olympic bronze medallist
Bruno Julie of Malaysia from the event.
Baby-faced Weaver, a 20-year-old participating in his
first senior international tournament, defeated Julie 12-3.
The swift-moving Englishman scored with his precise jabs
and forced Julie, who likes to fight with an open guard, to
cover up with his aggressive approach.
PTI
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