Commonwealth Games 2014: Boxing - Manoj, Vijender enter second round

Vijender Singh

Reigning champion Manoj Kumar and Vijender Singh made a good beginning to India’s campaign on day two of the boxing competition, reaching the second round in their respective weight categories on Saturday. Manoj, who won the gold in the same category in the 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth Games, outboxed Lesotho’s Mokhachane Moshoeshoe in the light welterweight category (64-kg). Manoj proved too good for his Lesotho opponent with his right and left punches and will now play his next bout on Sunday.

2008 Beijing Olympics bronze medallist Vijender Singh got the better of Kiribati’s Andrew Kometa in the men’s middle weight (75-kg) category. The 2010 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist will have a day’s rest and play his second round bout on Monday.

Earlier on Friday, Mandeep Jangra advanced to the second round of the men’s welterweight category (69-kg) defeating Mozambique’s Augusto Mathule. Mandeep’s win was some solace for the Indian boxing camp on the opening day of competition after Parveen Kumar earlier lost to Scotland’s Roy Henderson in the super heavyweight (+91 kg) category bout.

Three more Indians will take the ring over the next few days. Sumit Sangwan faces Tanzania’s Mohamed Hakimu Fumu in the light heavy weight category (81-kg) on Sunday. On Monday, London Olympics quarterfinalist Laishram Devendro Singh meets Sri Lanka’s Madushan Gamage in the light weight category (49-kg), while Shiv Thapa takes on Ireland’s Michael Conlan in the bantamweight category (54-kg).