Asian Boxing Championships: Sparsh Kumar gets off to a winning start on opening day

Up against Kyrgyzstan’s Diushebaev Nurzhigit in the Round of 32, Sparsh (51kg) notched up a comfortable 5-0 win.

Sparsh Kumar will take on Saken Bibossinov in pre-quarterfinal on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: BFI Photo

Boxer Sparsh Kumar kickstarted India’s campaign at the ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships with a win on Tuesday in Amman, Jordan

Up against Kyrgyzstan’s Diushebaev Nurzhigit in the Round of 32, Sparsh (51kg) notched up a comfortable 5-0 win. He will face Olympic bronze medallist and reigning World Champion Saken Bibossinov in the pre-quarterfinal on Wednesday. Hussamuddin (57kg) will be the other male boxer to compete in the pre-quarterfinal.

Later tonight, Lakshya Chahar (80kg) will begin his campaign against Tajikistan’s Shabbos Negmatulloev in the pre-quarterfinal bout.

Other Indians who will be in action are Shiva Thapa (63.5kg), Ananta (54kg), Hussamuddin (57kg), Etash Khan (60kg), Amit Kumar (67kg), Sachin (71kg), Lakshya (80kg) and Kapil (86kg). All of them got a bye in the previous round and will be competing in the pre-quarterfinals.

Meanwhile, Govind Sahani (48kg), Sumit (75kg), Naveen (92kg) and Narender (92+kg) will compete in the quarter-finals.

In women’s boxing, Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain - who switched to the 75kg category from 69kg - will lead India’s challenge against former world champion Valentina Khalzova of Kazakhstan in the quarter-final on Saturday.

Simranjit Kaur (60kg) will take on Yeonji Oh of Korea in the quarterfinal on Sunday.

Among the other women boxers, Monika (48kg), Minakshi (52kg), Sakshi (54kg), Preeti (57kg), Parveen (63kg), Ankushita Boro (66kg), Pooja (70kg) and Savita (50kg) will kick-off their campaign from the quarter-final stage.

Sweety (81kg) and Alfiya Pathan (+81kg) will be starting in the semi-finals.

A total of 267 boxers from 27 countries are participating in this tournament.

In the previous edition, held in Dubai last year, the Indian contingent won 16 medals, ensuring the country’s best performance at the championships.

Indian Squads:

Men: Govind Sahani (48kg), Sparsh Kumar (51kg), Ananta Chopade (54kg), Md. Hussamuddin (57kg), Etash Khan (60kg), Shiva Thapa (63.5kg), Amit Kumar (67kg), Sachin (71kg), Sumit (75kg), Lakshya (80kg), Kapil (86kg), Naveen (92kg), Narender (+92kg).

Women: Monika (48kg), Savita (50kg), Minakshi (52kg), Sakshi (54kg), Preeti (57kg), Simranjit (60kg), Parveen (63kg), Ankushita Boro (66kg), Pooja (70kg), Lovlina Borgohain (75kg), Saweety (81kg), Alfiya Pathan (+81kg).