Asian Boxing Championships: Mohammad Hussamuddin, Shiva Thapa give India flying start on opening day

Mohammad Hussamuddin (56kg) and Shiva Thapa (49kg) gave India a perfect start at the Asian Boxing Championships, winning their respective bouts on Monday in Dubai. The duo, along with other Indians, will be in quarterfinal action on Tuesday.

Up against Kazakhstan’s two-time ASBC Asian youth champion Makhmud Sabyrkhan, Hussamuddin made a steady start. Sabyrkhan, who used to fight in the 52kg category, seemed uncomfortable and wasn’t able to replicate his performances in Spain and Russia in the lead up to the tournament.

Hussamuddin, a Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, played it clever and produced a superb counter-attacking display to beat his opponent 5-0 and move into the quarterfinals. In the last-eight stage, Hussamuddin will face a stiff challenge from top seed and reigning world champion Mirazizbek Mirzahalilov of Uzbekistan.

𝐃𝐎𝐔𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐃𝐄𝐋𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 🔥@shivathapa continues 🇮🇳's winning run at 2021 ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships, beats 🇰🇿's Dmitrii Puchin 5️⃣-0️⃣ in 64 Kg.#PunchMeinHaiDum#boxing#AsianEliteBoxingChampionships pic.twitter.com/q1UPw9lKVv

— Boxing Federation (@BFI_official) May 24, 2021

In another bout, 2013 Asian champion Thapa also entered the quarterfinals after eliminating Kyrgyzstan’s Dmitrii Puchinn 5-0 by a unanimous decision. Thapa will next face Nader Odah of Kuwait.

Both Thapa and Hussamuddin will be assured of an Asian Boxing Championships medal if they win their respective second-round bouts. Another Indian in action on the first day, Sumit Sangwan (81kg), succumbed to Iran’s Meysam Gheslaghi.

𝗪𝗛𝗔𝗧𝗧𝗔 𝗦𝗧𝗔𝗥𝗧 🤩@Hussamboxer gave winning start to 🇮🇳 at the ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships 2021 in Dubai. He defeated 🇰🇿's Makhmud Sabyrkhan by 5️⃣-0️⃣ in 56 kg category.#PunchMeinHaiDum#boxing#AsianEliteBoxingChampionships pic.twitter.com/lFySBPDjJ5

— Boxing Federation (@BFI_official) May 24, 2021

Six Indians in action in Asian Boxing Championships Day 2

Earlier, seven Indian women pugilists were assured of a medal after being directly drawn in the Asian Boxing Championships semifinals. They are Mary Kom (51kg), Lalbuatsaihi (64kg), Lovlina Borgohain (69kg), Pooja Rani (75kg), Monika (48kg), Saweety (81kg) and Anupama (+81kg).

Apart from Thapa and Hussamuddin, four other Indians will be in action on Tuesday in their respective quarterfinal bouts at the Asian Boxing Championships. Sanjeet, who got a bye in the first round, will face Jakhon Qurbonov of Tajikistan in the men’s 91kg.

Among the women, Sakshi (54kg), Jasmine (57kg), Simranjit Kaur Baatth (60kg) will be up against Ruhafzo Haqazarova (Tajikistan), Oyuntsetseg Yesugen (Mongolia) and Raykhona Kodirova (Uzbekistan), respectively. In the last edition of the tournament in 2019, India won 13 medals including two gold.