Mohammad Hussamuddin began India’s campaign on a winning note at the 2021 ASBC Asian Boxing Championships as he defeated Makhmud Sabyrkhan on the opening day of the championship in Dubai on Monday.
The Commonwealth Games bronze medallist (56 kg) made a cautious start against the Kazakhstan boxer. However, with a swift movement and counterattacking display, the Indian held an edge over his opponent and completed a 5-0 victory to progress into the quarter-finals.
In the 81 kg opening round bout late in the night on Monday, Sumit Sangwan suffered a 5-0 defeat against Iranian boxer Meysam Gheshlaghi.
Meanwhile, India’s Olympic-bound men pugilists Amit Panghal, Vikas Krishan and Ashish Kumar will kickstart their campaign as the trio, alongside country’s two other boxers, are set to slug it out in the quarter finals on Wednesday.
The World Championships silver medallist and defending champion Panghal will face a strong challenge from Kharkhuu Enkhmandakh in the 52 kg bout. When the duo last met at the Asian Olympic Qualifiers in Amman, Jordan last year, the Mongolian boxer had put up a tough fight before the Indian managed to win. The Asian Games champion Vikas Krishan will square off against Iran’s Moslem Malamir in 69kg.
Ashish Kumar (75kg), who clinched silver medal in the last edition of the event, and Narender (+91kg) will also be up against powerful opponents from Kazakhstan. While Ashish will play World Championships and Asian Games silver medallist Abilkhan Amankul, Narender is set to fight against the two-time world championships silver medallist Kamshybek Kunkabayev, who is also aiming for his third successive medal at the Asian Championships.
The championships, which marks a return of international boxing in Asia post Covid-19 pandemic, will see nearly 150 pugilists from 17 countries in action from India, Uzbekistan, Philippines and Kazakhstan. India’s best-ever show at the Asian Championship came in the last edition in 2019 in Bangkok where they secured an unprecedented 13 medals including two gold.
