World Boxing Cup Finals | India assured of 4 medals on first day of competitors

World champion Minakshi Hooda (48kg) asserted her class, whereas Paris Olympian Preeti Pawar (54kg) made a positive comeback to enter the semifinals and guarantee medals for India on the opening day of the World Boxing Cup Finals on the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Indoor Stadium right here on Sunday.

The promising Ankush Panghal (80kg), a last-minute alternative for the injured Lakshya Chahar, and Asian Games bronze medallist Narender Berwal (90+kg) additionally superior to the last-four within the males’s part to guarantee two extra medals.

Using her lengthy attain, Minakshi recorded a convincing 5-0 victory over Kazakhstan’s Bolat Akbota. Minakshi’s ring craft and correct punching gave her management and a transparent benefit all through the competition.

Preeti overcame former World youth champion Nigina Uktamova 5-0. Learning from her 2021 loss to the Uzbek boxer on the Asian youth championships, southpaw Preeti employed her jabs and backhand punches to good impact to attain in opposition to the attacking Nigina. Her improved defence additionally helped the Indian.

Another southpaw, Ankush gave a great account of himself on his worldwide debut as he defeated Wakaya Go 5-0. Landing a stinging jab, Ankush inflicted a standing depend on the Japanese within the first spherical and combined his jabs and hooks properly to make an impression. His evasive expertise stored him secure.

Narender managed a hard-fought 4-1 win over Ukraine’s hard-hitting Andrii Khaletskyi. The well-built Indian, who acquired some highly effective punches and suffered a lower on his left-eyebrow within the closing interval, related his counters to persistently persuade 4 judges in each spherical.

Important outcomes: Quarterfinals: Men: 65kg: Mukhiddinov Adkhamjon (Uzb) bt Jang Donghwan (Kor) 5-0; 80kg: Begaliyev Sanzhar-Ali (Kaz) bt Kim Minseong (Kor) 5-0; Ankush Panghal bt Wakaya Go (Jpn) 5-0 90+kg: Mamasoliev Khalimjon (Uzb) bt Hagag Ahmed (Aut) 5-0; Narender Berwal bt Andrii Khaletskyi (ukr) 4-1.

Women: 48kg: Minakshi Hooda bt Bolat Akbota (Kaz) 5-0. 54kg: Preeti Pawar bt Nigina Uktamova (Uzb) 5-0; 70kg: Aziza Zokirova (Uzb) bt Patricia Mbata (Ngr) 5-0.