National champ Vikash Malik through to round two of World Boxing Championship

Vikash Malik (60kg) after winning his opening round bout at Almaty

The Indian camp registered its first win at the AIBA World Boxing Championship in Almaty Kazakhstan, after light weight reigning national champion Vikash Malik (60kg) powered through to round two of the competition. The railways boxers, up against Meder Mamakeev of Kyrgyzstan, started slow, deciding to measure his opponent first. His precise jabs and sharp hooks seemed to weigh heavily on Kyrgyz boxer. An excellent display of close medium range boxing by the Indian put Mamakeev on the back foot by the end of the second round. In final three minutes Vikash upped the ante to stretch the lead. He went on to make his place in the round of 32 by virtue of a unanimous decision by the judges. The score line read 29:28, 29:28 and 30:27.

The 26 year old is in good shape and seems determined to better his international track record this time around. However to get into the medal rounds Malik will have to win three more bouts in the competition and most likely will have to upstage seed no. 5 and 2011 WC quarter-finallist Miklos Varga of Hungary to do just that. On Sunday (20 Oct 2013) though, Vikash will square off against Dawid Michelus of Poland for a place in the pre-quarter finals.

Day three of the Championship will see 2013 Asian Championship Silver Medallist Mandeep Jangra (69kg) take on Selemani Kidunda of Tanzania in preliminaries of the welter weight division