Asian Games: Vikas Krishnan assures another boxing medal

Vikas Krishan (red)

Vikas Krishan became the second Indian men boxer to move into the semifinals of the middleweight category (75-kg) after he downed Uzbeksitan’s Normatov Hurshidbek in the quarterfinals at the Seonhak Gymnasium on Tuesday. He thus assures India of at least a bronze medal.

Krishnan, who replaced iconic boxer Vijender Singh in this weight category after the latter suffered a hand injury at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, was pushed on the backfoot in the opening round when two of the three judges ruled in favour of the Uzbek. Krishnan stepped on the accelerator in the second round and unleashed a series of punches at Normatov, winning crucial points to ensure all three judges rules in his favour. The 2010 Guangzhou Asian Games gold medallist, although in a different weight category (60-kg), was confidence personified in the third round as he assumed control over his Uzbek opponent to seal his semifinal berth. He will now play on Thursday.

Satish Kumar earlier assured India’s first boxing medal in the men’s section in the super heavyweight category (+91-kg), pipping Jordan’s Iashaish Hussein in the quarterfinals.

However, all was not so rosy in the boxing camp as light flyweight boxer Laishram Devendro Singh lost to Korea’s Shin Jonghun in the quarterfinals. Shiva Thapa also crashed out of the bantamweight category losing to Philippines’ Mario Fernandes.

The Indian women’s boxers put on a splendid effort at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games with all their three boxers bagging a medal each at the Seonhak Gymnasium. Star boxer MC Mary Kom is assured of either a gold or silver as she is in the final of the women’s flyweight category (48-51-kg against Zhaina Shekerbekova of Kazakhstan. The 31-year-old Indian pugilist called the shots against Vietnam’s Le Thi Bang and turned the semifinal contest in a one-sided affair to pave her smooth passage to the final. Undoubtedly, Mary appears to be India’s best bet for an Asiad boxing gold after another iconic boxer Vijender Singh pulled out of the event owing to a hand injury.

The excitement Mary triggered in the Indian camp by winning the first bout of the day made the Indians feel that two more gold medals could be there for the taking, but the two other women pugilists – L Sarita Devi and Pooja Rani – fought hard in the semifinal against formidable opponents, but had to concede defeat and settled for bronze medals –

L Sarita Devi was up against Korea’s Park Jina in the lightweight (57-60kg) semifinals and the Indian seemed to hold the aces the end result was not a fair indication of how the bout was fought. Sarita looked the better boxer for most part of the bout, the scoring of the three judges suggested otherwise. India’s appeal against the verdict was rejected.

Pooja Rani no way disgraced herself against China’s LI Qian in the middleweight (69-75kg) semifinals as she gave her everything in her bid to make it to the final. The tactical superiority of Li proved to be Pooja’s undoing as she had to finish second best in the ring.