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New Delhi will host the Asian Boxing Championships from May 21 to 31, the Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC) has recently announced. The event was originally supposed to be held at the same venue in November-December last year but was postponed due to the COVID -19 pandemic. The competition at home will also serve as the perfect preparation for Tokyo Olympics for the Indian boxers.
This will be the first time that India will host an international boxing event post the COVID-19 pandemic. The last time India held an international event in boxing was the India Open in Guwahati two years ago.
Since 2019, the men’s and women’s events have been held simultaneously at the Asian Boxing Championships. In the 2019 edition, Indian boxers made merry in Bangkok, claiming a whopping 13 medals. Pooja Rani (81kg) and Amit Panghal (52kg) clinched gold medals while the silver went to Deepak Singh (49kg), Kavinder Bisht (56kg), Ashish Kumar (75kg), and Simranjit Kaur (64kg). Among the bronze medallists were Laishram Sarita Devi and Nikhat Zareen.
The last time India organized the men's Asian Boxing Championships was in 1980 in Mumbai, while the women's event was last held in 2003 in Haryana.
Nine Indian pugilists have qualified for Tokyo Olympics
So far, as many as nine Indian boxers have qualified for the Tokyo Olympics from the Asia Oceania boxing Olympic qualifiers held in Amman last year.
Vikas Krishan (69kg), Ashish Kumar (75kg), Satish Kumar (91kg), Amit Panghal (52kg), and Manish Kaushik (63kg) are the men's pugilists who have booked their Tokyo berths. The women’s section includes Simranjit Kaur (60kg), Lovlina Borgohain (69kg), Pooja Rani (75kg), and six-time world champion MC Mary Kom (51kg).
Bosphorus Boxing Tournament starts March 15
Meanwhile, Indian boxers will next be seen in action at the Bosphorus Boxing Tournament. 13 elite pugilists have reached Istanbul for the event, which starts on Monday.
Lalitha Prasad (52 kg), Gaurav Solanki (57 kg), Shiva Thapa (63 kg), Duryodhan Singh Negi (69 kg), Prayag Chauhan (75 kg), Brijesh Yadav (81 kg), Naman Tanwar (91 kg), and Krishan Sharma (+91 kg) will vie for the top men's honors.
The women will be represented by Nikhat Zareen (51 kg), Sonia Lather (57 kg), Parveen (60 kg), Jyoti Gulia (69 kg), and Pooja Rani (75 kg).
