Commonwealth Games 2014: Manoj Kumar and Sumit Sangwan storm into quarterfinals

Manoj Kumar

Reigning champion Manoj Kumar became the first Indian boxer to storm into the quarterfinals of the light welterweight category (64-kg) on Sunday. Manoj, who won the gold in the same category in the 2010 New Delhi Commonwealth Games, got the better of Canada’s Arthur Biyarslanov.

The Indian pugilist will have a well-deserved rest on Monday after featuring in back-to- back bouts over the weekend. Manoj, who outboxed Lesotho’s Mokhachane Moshoeshoe in the first round, will face England’s S Mantell in the last-eight stage on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, 2008 Beijing Olympics bronze medallist Vijender Singh meets Namibia’s Mujandjae Kasuto in the second round of the men’s middleweight (75-kg) category on Monday after beating Kiribati’s Andrew Kometa in the opening round. 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) on Monday.

Sumit Sangwan beat Tanzania’s Mohamed Hakimu Fumu 3-0 in the light heavyweight category (81-kg) on Sunday. He will now fight it out with New Zealand's Davis Nyika for a place in the semifinals on Tuesday.

Earlier, 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.