India endured a mixed start to its campaign at the World Boxing Cup Stage 2 in Guiyang, China, with Deepak and Poonam emerging as the country’s brightest performers on the opening day. While the duo produced clinical displays to advance comfortably, several other Indian boxers bowed out of the competition after tough contests.
Deepak and Poonam Impress
Competing in the men’s 70kg category, Deepak showcased excellent control and precision to defeat Turkmenistan’s Bayramdurdy Nurmuhammedov by a unanimous 5-0 decision in the preliminary Round of 32. The convincing victory underlined his strong form and secured him a place in the next stage of the tournament.
In the women’s 54kg division, Poonam matched that performance with an equally dominant 5-0 win over Uzbekistan’s Aziza Yokubova. The Indian boxer remained in control throughout the bout, booking her place in the Round of 16 with an impressive all-round display.
Tough Day for the Rest of the Indian Squad
Despite the success of Deepak and Poonam, the remaining Indian contingent struggled to build momentum.
Rishi Singh (50kg) lost to Azerbaijan’s Subhan Mamedov in the Round of 16.
Sanamacha Chanu Thokchom (75kg) was defeated by Canada’s Tammara Thibeault.
Sawan Gill exited after losing to Norway’s Omar Shiha in the men’s 90kg category.
Anmol (60kg) fought a close contest but narrowly went down 2-3 against American boxer Salim Ellis Bey.
Harsh Choudhary (90kg) suffered an unfortunate defeat after his contest was stopped due to injury in the third round against Sweden’s Elwin Belezika.
India also missed out on quarterfinal success in two women’s categories. Naina (80kg) was beaten by China’s Xiaomeng Wang, while Alfiya Tarannum Akram Khan Pathan (90+kg) lost to Poland’s Elzbieta Wojcik, ending their medal hopes.
Focus Shifts to the Next Round
With only Deepak and Poonam advancing, India’s challenge now rests heavily on the experienced pair as they prepare for tougher opponents in the upcoming rounds. Their commanding victories have provided a positive start, but the team will be aiming for deeper runs in the tournament as the competition progresses in Guiyang.
The World Boxing Cup Stage 2 has attracted top international talent, making every victory crucial in the race for ranking points and international success. India’s hopes now hinge on whether Deepak and Poonam can convert their strong opening performances into podium finishes.
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