National Women's Boxing: Sarjubala Devi ,Pinki Jangra reach final

Sarjubala Devi

Sarjubala cruises into final

Talented light flyweight boxer Sarjubala Devi set up a final date with Haryana’s Sweety in the 45-48 kg category of the Boxing India-organised Monnet Steel Senior National Women’s Boxing Championship being played at the Balbir Juneja Indoor Stadium in Raipur, Chhattisgarh. The 21-year-old Manipur lass, who shot into limelight when she won the 2011 World Youth Boxing Championship in Turkey and later going on to win the Senior Nationals in the same weight category in the 2011 edition in Bhopal, showed her finesse to outpunch Musskan Sindhu of Punjab in the semifinals.

Mizoram’s Rebecca Lalinmawil made it to the final of the flyweight category (48-51kg) getting the better of Nengneihat kom, a product of five-time world champion MC Mary Kom's Boxing Academy in Manipur in the semifinals and will now face 2014 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Pinki Jangra in the final.

Pilawo Basumatary advanced to the final of the quarterfinals of the featherweight category and next plays 2011 Senior Nationals runners-up Preeti Beniwal for glory.

2011 World Youth Boxing Championship gold medallist Minu Basumatary set up a final meeting with Pavitra of Railways Sports Promotion Board in the light welterweight category (60-64 kg).

Two of the country’s women pugilists – MC Mary Kom and Laishram Sarita Devi – have skipped the event in order to recharge their batteries for the upcoming World Championships. Of course, it remains to be seen whether Boxing India considers them for selection for the World Championships despite their absence from the senior nationals.