I have changed my game: Shiva Thapa

Our Sports Reporter

GUWAHATI: The second edition of the Indian Boxing will kick off tomorrow in the city. The championship would be held at the Karmabir Nabin Chandra Bordoloi Indoor Stadium where 200 boxers from 16 countries will be vying for the podium.

The preliminary round of the championship would be held on May 20 and 21 and it would be followed by the quarter-finals and semi-finals. The final would be held on May 24.

India will put the biggest contingent in the championship. This time 35 men and 37 women boxers from the host country would be seen in action in the meet.

Meanwhile addressing a media gathering Shiva Thapa, the lone male boxer from Assam in the competition, today said that he is now more aggressive in the ring and targeting a podium finish in Guwahati.

“I have changed my game. Even in the last Asian Boxing Championships, I played much more freely. I am being more aggressive now. This is the style of boxing I have adopted now and our coaches too are helping me with my technique,” said Thapa.

The media conference was also attended by the six-time world champion Mary Kom and Amit Panghal. Mary is absolutely confident that the change in weight category would not make any trouble to her. “There is nothing too much difference in my earlier weight category 48kg and present one-51kg. I have worked hard in the ring and optimistic that those works would pay a dividend in this championship and later also.”

Among others present in the media briefing was the chairman of organizing committee of India Open Lakhya Konwar, Sports Director Dharmakanta Mili, the high-performance director of Indian boxing Santiago Nieva and the secretary of the Assam Boxing Association Hemanta Kalita.

Also read: Local Sports