World Boxing C`ships: Manpreet in last-16, faces world No.1

Almaty: Asian Games silver-medallist Manpreet Singh (91kg) sailed into the World Championships pre-quarterfinal after clinching a comprehensive victory over Seychelles` Keddy Agnes in his opening bout here on Friday.

Manpreet, who got a bye in the first round, won 3-0 in the overall analysis of his second-round bout, the round-by-round break-up of which read 30-27 30-27 30-27. "Manpreet dominated all three rounds even though the other guy was very stout and experienced. Manpreet put to use some precise uppercuts and straight punches to unsettle him," national coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu told a news agency. "It was a fine performance and Manpreet did not give any chance to the other guy," he added. The 28-year-old will now face world number one and Olympic bronze-medallist Teymur Mammadov of Azerbaijan, who has been top-seeded, in the round of 16 on Monday. Mammadov, the current European Championships silver-medallist, got a first-round bye and he thrashed Efetobor Apochi of Nigeria in his opening bout today which preceded Manpreet`s bout. "No doubt it is a tough bout but let us see. We will plan and work out our strategy. We have seen this boy and he is a top boxer but Manpreet is no less," said Sandhu. The 20-year-old Mammadov had won a silver medal in the 2011 World Championships in Azerbaijan besides being the European champion in that year.