The Indian challenge came to an end in the China Open Boxing Championships in Guiyang, China after both remaining Indian boxers — Monica Saun (60kg) and Pooja Rani (75kg) lost their respective semi-final bouts.
Monica playing in the light weight category had made her place in the last four of the tournament comfortably beating Hlaing Kyu Kyu of Myanmar. But in the semis she was up against Asian Games Gold medallist and a Silver medallist at the 2010 AIBA world championships, Dong Cheng of China. The Chinese boxers dominated the bout from the start and did not give Monica many chances to score. Playing her first international tournament, the 18 year old was at bay against the taller and more experienced Cheng. She lost the bout with a score of 8:24 and had to settle for a bronze medal.
In the middle weight division Pooja, who won a silver medal at the recently concluded Arafura Games in Australia, was up against Ning Yuyu of Guizhou, the second team from China. The nimble footed Chinese boxers took a quick 5:2 lead in the first round and never let Pooja back in the game. Also the Indian’s strategy of hooks and upper cuts was falling short against Yuyu’s precise and accurate straight punches. In the end Pooja had to make do with a bronze medal after a 5:16 defeat. Both the boxer will take home a cash award of 1000 US Dollars each for their bronze medal winning performance.
Earlier in the tournament Sonia Lather (51 kg) lost her quarterfinal bout to She Kebekova Jaina of Kazakhstan by a margin of 11:16 pts. The Kazakh boxer was shorter than Sonia and a south paw but her footwork and movements were superior. The Indian tried valiantly to stage a comeback in the third and the fourth round, but in the end fell short.
