World Boxing C'ships: Sakshi, Chanu win to join Bartwal in second round

LIVERPOOL: Sakshi and Thokchom Sanamacha Chanu won their respective bouts in contrasting styles after Pawan Bartwal provided India a winning start in the World Boxing Championships campaign in Liverpool, UK, on Thursday.

Bartwal got the better of Brazil’s Michael Douglas Trindade, a Paris Olympian, in a close men’s 55kg bout as the strong Indian team made a good start in the competition.

Sakshi continued the strong start as she outclassed her Ukrainian opponent Viktoriia Shkeul, winning the opening round 5-0 before sealing the contest in the second round with an impressive RSC (Referee Stopped Contest) victory on Thursday.

Chanu posted a hard-fought victory in her opening bout as she overcame Denmark’s Ditte Frostholm with a 4-1 verdict to advance to the next round in the women’s 70kg category on Thursday.

Their wins came after 10 Indian boxers, including Olympic bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain (women’s 70kg), two-time World Championship medallist Nikhat Zareen (women’s 51kg), medal contender Hitesh Gulia (men’s 70kg), and Abhinash Jamwal (men’s 65kg) got first-round byes, thus avoiding tricky opponents early in the competition.

Bartwal displayed his boxing acumen under pressure in the third and final round, keeping his Brazilian opponent at bay and impressing the judges with his punches to win the first-round bout 3:2.

The two boxers were deadlocked after the first two rounds, with Trindade nullifying Bartwal’s advantage in the second round.

India has fielded a 20-member contingent at the inaugural World Championships, being held under the aegis of the World Boxing Council, a recently formed international governing body for boxing, and is looking to underline its growing stature in world boxing.

While Gulia, Jamwal, and Lovlina have a bye in the opening round, Nikhat Zareen will take on Jennifer Lozana of the USA.