Analysing India’s boxing contingent at Rio 2016

Though India haven’t won a medal at Rio 2016 yet, the nation’s representatives in Brazil have performed commendably in multiple events, winning everyone’s hearts.

Beijing 2008 Gold medalist, Abhinav Bindra, came excruciatingly close to another medal finish, losing out on a shootoff to finish 4th in his pet 10m Air Rifle event. Gymnast Dipa Karmakar has created history by qualifying for the vault finals, a first for any Indian gymnast while rower Dattu Bhokanal qualified for the quarter-finals in his event.

Amidst such inspirational performances, the Indian boxing contingent will start their engagements tomorrow with middleweight Vikas Krishan the first to step into the ring. His compatriots Shiva Thapa and Manoj Kumar will be in action soon after.

Here’s a look at our boxing team and how they stand against their opponents –

Vikas Krishan (75 kg)

The 24-year-old Indian is at his second Olympic Games, having gone to London 2012 on the back of a Gold medal at the 2010 Asian Games in the lightweight category and a Bronze at the World Amateur Boxing Championships in 2011 as a welterweight.

Krishan was denied a shot at glory in 2012 after he had defeated his opponent, Errol Spence, of the USA, 13-11 in the prelimnary round. The opposition had appealed the verdict, citing Krishan’s holding fouls which went unpunished, and the decision was overturned.

The JSW Sports Excellence Program boxer, who switched to the middlweight category, won the Bronze medal at the 2014 Asian Games and the Silver medal at the 2015 Asian Boxing Championships.

His speed and agility, in addition to his ability of being able to land solid punches in short bursts, makes him a very dangerous opponent. He will go up against 18-year-old Charles Conwell Jr. of the United States of America, who is a highly-rated prospect and will come out all guns blazing.

Krishan will be looking to use his experience to his advantage and weave in and out of Conwell’s punches, who has a very aggressive style of boxing.

The second seed, Bektemir Melikuziev, could be a potential opponent in the quarter-finals for Vikas.

Shiva Thapa (56 kg)

Ranked third in the world in Bantamweight in the world, Thapa is drawn to face Cuba’s Robeisy Ramirez, who is seeded sixth and won Gold at the 2012 London Olympics, albeit in the flyweight category.

Shiva Thapa became the youngest Indian boxer to qualify for the Olympics when he reached London 2012 at the age of 18, winning Gold at the Asian Olympic Qualifiers.

Though he got knocked out in the first round, his performance showed inexperience then and he is now in prime condition to win the country a medal.

Just 22, the youngster from Assam has become a good all-round boxer and has gained a lot of strength to go with his speed and quick reflexes, making him a tough nut to crack.

Manoj Kumar (64 kg)

The seniormost member of India’s boxing contingent, Manoj Kumar has participated earlier at the Olympics, having reached the pre-quarterfinals of the 2012 London Olympics.

Manoj’s loss at 2012 London to then world number 1, Great Britain’s Tom Stalker, came under controversial circumstances.

The Indian was adjudged to have lost the bout 20-16, with the scoring in the second round especially confusing, as Stalker was given a 9-5 advantage, despite visibly having struggled.

Kumar has been one of the most consistent boxers on the Indian circuit and is seeded sixth at Rio 2016. The winner of the Gold medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games, the pugilist goes up against Lithuania’s Evaldas Petrauskas, a Bronze medalist at London 2012.