Asian Boxing Championships: Shiva Thapa storms into quarters

Our Sports Reporter

GUWAHATI: Star boxer of India Shiva Thapa (60kg) is now just one win away from securing a record fourth medal from the Asian Boxing Championship. The Assam pugilist was at his destructive best and outpunched Kyrgyzstan’s Seitbek Uulu M 4-1 to march into the quarter-finals in Bangkok today.

All total 5 Indian boxers entered the quarter-finals on Day 3 of this prestigious continental tournament. The others are Sarita Devi, Amit Panghal, Nikhat Zareen and Ashish.

Four-time Asian Championships gold medallist Sarita Devi began her hunt for a staggering sixth medal from this elite event in highly impressive fashion. The 37-year-old blanked Korea’s Gwon Sujin and stormed into the quarter-finals by dint of RSC (Referee Stop Contest) in Round 3 as she was too dominant for her opponent.

Amit Panghal opened his campaign and made it to the last-eight with a 5-0 decimation of Taipei’s Tu Po-Wei in his first continental competitive bout in the 52 Kg.

Former world junior champion Nikhat Zareen (51kg) advanced to the quarters by RSC in Round 2 as she was superior and her rival Cambodia’s Srey Pov Nao couldn’t contain the flurry of punches.

In men’s 69kg, Ashish continued his scintillating run of form with a strong 4-1 win over Abdurakhman Abdurakhmanov of Kyrgyzstan in a split verdict.

The only disappointment for the Indian contingent on Sunday was the defeat of Brijesh Yadav in 81kg.

Meanwhile, another boxer from Assam Lovlina Borgohain, who secured a bronze from the New Delhi World Championships, will take on Chinese Taipei’s world champion Chen Nien-Chin in a tough last-eight clash tomorrow. A win would be enough for her to ensure a medal in the championship.

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