Panghal, Pooja go down tamely
TOKYO: India Amit Panghal (52kg) bowed out of the Olympics boxing competition after a tame 1-4 defeat to Rio Games silver-medallist Yuberjen Martinez in the pre-quarter-finals, on Saturday.
Later in the day, Pooja Rani (75kg) also made an exit from the Games after a sloppy performance, going down 0-5 in her quarter-final bout to China's Li Qian.
Qian, a former World champion and Rio Olympics bronze-medallist, thoroughly outpunched Rani in what looked like a one-sided contest.
Rani looked clueless in the ring after showing some spark in the opening round.
Qian was ruthless in her counter-hitting every time the Indian tried to launch an offensive, striking straight and clean to assert her dominance.
In the men's last 16 bout, the Colombian's relentless attack and pace proved too hot for the top-seeded Indian, who was making his debut in the Games after getting an opening-round bye.
India now has two boxers left in the fray with Lovlina Borgohain assured of a medal and Satish Kumar to enter the ring for the quarterfinal on Sunday. Agencies
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