Asian Games: All Indian women boxers enter quarter-finals

Laishram Sarita Devi

The Indian women’s boxers launched their campaign in the 2014 Incheon Asian Games on a rollicking note as all its three boxers secured their passage to the quarterfinals. Pooja Rani got the better of 2010 Asiad silver medallist Undram Erdenesoyol of Mongalia on points in a middleweight (69-75-kg) bout. The 23-year-old Haryana boxer was clearly the superior of the two on the day as she eased through all the three rounds sans much resistance from her Mongolian opponent. Pooja next plays Shen Dara Flora of Chinese Taipei on Sunday.

Laishram Sarita Devi had a facile win over Ri Chungson of Korea in the lightweight (57-60-kg) category and now Earlier, star boxer MC Mary Kom set the tone storming into the quarterfinals of the flyweight category (46-51-kg) outboxing Korea’s Kim Yeji at the Seonhak Gymnasium on Saturday. The 2012 London Olympics bronze medallist and five time world champion from Manipur, proved her supremacy over Kim in no uncertain terms, outclassing her in each of the three rounds to march into the last eight stage. Mary next plays China’s Si Haijuan in the quarterfinals on Sunday.

Indian boxers will be looking to put on a stellar performance after capping a splendid effort at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games, where they won five medals including four silver medals and a bronze – they created history as for the first time four Indians reached the final of the Commonwealth Games.

Three Indians – L Devendro Singh, Shiva Thapa and Kuldeep Singh have progressed to the next round in the men’s section, while Akhil Kumar, Maoj Kumar and Amritpreet Singh crashed out of medal contention.