Injured Vikas can’t fight semis, settles for bronze

Vikas, however, managed to script history by becoming the first Indian boxer to clinch three successive Asian Games medals.

Vikas (R) was to take on Kazakhstan’s Amankul Abilkhan in his last-four clash on Friday evening but has been forced out due to injury.

Indian boxer Vikas Krishan (75kg) settled for a bronze medal in the Asian Games after he was declared medically unfit to fight his semifinal bout due to a cut on his left eyelid sustained earlier in the event.

The 26-year-old was to take on Kazakhstan’s Amankul Abilkhan in his last-four clash on Friday evening but has been forced out due to the injury.

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“There is inflammation in retina as well and it is too risky to let him fight. He will have to take a break for a few weeks,” an official of the contingent said.

Vikas has, however, managed to script history by becoming the first Indian boxer to clinch three successive Asian Games medals.

He won a lightweight 60kg category gold in Guangzhou 2010, before winning a middle-weight bronze in the 2014 edition in Incheon.

The Haryana-boxer sustained the cut during his pre-quarterfinal bout and the injury aggravated during his gruelling quarterfinal clash against China’s Tuoheta Erbieke Tanglatihan.

The former world championships bronze-medallist, who won a gold at the Commonwealth Games earlier this year, overcame the bleeding to assure himself a medal.