LIVERPOOL, UK — Indian boxers have kicked off their campaign at the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool with a bang. On the inaugural day of the tournament, which is being organized under the banner of the new international body World Boxing for the first time, Pawan Bartwal and Sakshi secured hard-fought victories to advance to the next round.
Bartwal Secures Gritty Victory Over Brazilian Rival
In an intensely-fought opening round men’s 55kg contest, Pawan Bartwal gave a strong performance to beat Brazil’s Michael Douglas Da Silva Trindade with a narrow 3-2 decision. The bout was a fast-paced exchange of punches. Bartwal took a slim lead in the first round before Trindade responded with a barrage of his own shots in the second, leveling the score at 2-2.
In the decisive third round, Bartwal’s endurance and composure proved to be the difference. The Indian boxer withstood a relentless onslaught from his opponent and landed several clean, well-directed punches to impress four of the five judges, securing his spot in the second round.
“Pawan relied on his will power to win and gave it his all in such a tough fight. Being from the armed forces, he is not the one to go on the back foot,” said men’s head coach Dharmendra Yadav in the post-bout interview. Bartwal is set to face a formidable opponent in his next bout, Asian Games gold medalist Mirazizbek Mirzakhalilov of Uzbekistan.
Sakshi Advances with Dominant Display
Sakshi, a World Boxing Cup gold medallist, also made a winning start, advancing to the women’s 54kg pre-quarterfinals. The Indian boxer secured a Referee Stops Contest (RSC) win against Ukraine’s Viktoriia Shkeul, who was making her senior debut. Utilizing her height advantage, Sakshi dominated the match with a flurry of combinations that prompted the referee to issue two standing counts before calling an end to the contest in the second round.
Favorable Draws for Indian Contingent
The rest of the Indian contingent has been handed a decent draw. Medal contenders such as two-time champion Nikhat Zareen (51kg) and Olympic bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain (70kg), along with Hitesh Gulia (70kg) and Abhinash Jamwal (65kg), have avoided tricky opponents early in the competition. While Gulia, Jamwal, and Lovlina have received first-round byes, Nikhat Zareen will begin her campaign against Jennifer Lozana of the USA.
(Source-PTI)
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