AIBA World Boxing Championships 2015: Olympic berth eludes brave Thapa as he settles for bronze

Thapa will get a chance to qualify for Rio via other tournaments

India’s lone medallist at the AIBA World boxing Championships Shiva Thapa was denied an Olympic berth despite a valiant effort. He lost the bronze medal box-off for Olympic qualification to Belarusian Dzmitry Asanau, reports NDTV.

Of India’s six-member contingent to the World Championships, Thapa was the only boxer to win a medal after Vikas Krishan Yadav lost his quarter-final to Egyptian Hosam Abdin. The 21-year-old Assamese pugilist showed off his trademark aggression and fast footwork right from the opening bell.

Thapa baited his opponent with his hands down, but the Belarusian kept his distance, and forced Thapa to be the aggressor. The Asian Games gold-medallist landed his right jab and scored with the left hook, using good footwork, but the judges awarded the round to the elusive Belarusian.

The second round saw the European Games silver-medallist continue to stay out of range and use defensive tactics, leaving Thapa to make the first move. The Indian was more than happy to oblige and stayed on the 19-year-old Asanau’s heels, but was caught by snapping counter punches. The second round was also awarded to the Belarusian.

Thapa went into the third round knowing he had to finish the fight to win it. There was more urgency from the Indian, which led him to be over-aggressive and inaccurate. Asanau kept his cool, knowing he was ahead on the scorecards and even engaged a few times. Thapa tried time and again to knockout his opponent, but the fleet-footed Belarusian dodged all his heavy punches and countered to chalk up the points.

The highlight of Thapa’s campaign in the tournament was his pre-quarterfinal against Moroccan Mahomed Hamout. After each fighter won a round apiece of the first two, Thapa and Hamout met in the center of the ring for the third and made the familiar opening exchange. Thapa got off a short right that caught his opponent’s attention, distracting him and followed with a monstrous left hook that connected flush. The African Champion crumpled in a heap and Thapa got the victory by knockout.

With bronze medal in hand, Thapa became only the third Indian boxer after Vijender Singh in the 2009 edition and Vikas krishan in the 2011 edition to do so. Thapa, along with other Indian boxers, will get a chance to qualify for the Olympics through two continental tournaments that will take place in 2016.