Reigning Commonwealth Games champion Ankush Panghal booked first boxing medal for India at the ongoing Asian Games after defeating Tajikistan’s Nekruz Salimov 5-0 in the men’s 80kg quarterfinal at Nishio Gymnasium on Sunday.
Key Takeaways:
- Ankush Panghal defeated Tajikistan’s Nekruz Salimov 5-0 in the men’s 80kg quarterfinal.
- The reigning Commonwealth Games champion dominated the opening two rounds to seal India’s first boxing medal at the Games.
- Tejaswin Shankar stood third in the decathlon after seven events, with three events still remaining.
Ankush Panghal delivered a commanding performance in the men’s 80kg quarterfinal to assure India of a medal in boxing at the Asian Games. The Indian boxer controlled the contest for most of the three rounds and earned a unanimous 5-0 decision over Nekruz Salimov of Tajikistan.
The victory strengthened Ankush’s medal campaign after an authoritative display across the opening two rounds. Although Salimov fought back in the final round, the late surge could not overturn the Indian boxer’s advantage.
Ankush Controls Opening Two Rounds
Ankush established control early in the bout. He used his speed, movement, punching accuracy and defence to keep Salimov under pressure.
The Indian won the first two rounds unanimously. Salimov struggled to deal with Ankush’s pace and counter-punching, allowing the CWG gold medallist to build a decisive advantage before the final round.
Ankush started the opening round with effective right hooks and one-two combinations. His clean connections helped him secure a 5-0 verdict from the judges.
He maintained the momentum in the second round. The Indian boxer produced a sharp left hook and moved effectively around his opponent. His counter-punches added to Salimov’s difficulties and earned Ankush another unanimous 5-0 decision.
Salimov Fights Back in Final Round
The Tajik boxer showed greater urgency in the third round as he searched for a knockdown. Salimov managed to land some punches and made the final three minutes more competitive.
Ankush, however, remained disciplined in defence. He absorbed the pressure without allowing Salimov to produce the decisive breakthrough.
Salimov won the third round 4-1, but the result was never in serious doubt by that stage. Ankush had already built enough of a lead through the first two rounds to secure the overall victory.
The judges confirmed his 5-0 win. Four judges scored the bout 29-28 in Ankush’s favour, while the fifth judge awarded him a 30-27 verdict.
India Faces Early Exits in Kurash
Earlier in the Kurash competitions, several Indian athletes suffered defeats in their respective events.
Vishal went down 5-0 to Thailand’s Kunathip Yea-On in the men’s +90kg quarterfinal.
Sangita Balhara also exited after losing 10-0 to the Philippines’ Charmea Quelino in the women’s -57kg Round of 32.
Bharti was eliminated by Iran’s Tahereh Azarpeivand in the women’s -57kg Round of 16. Yash Kumar Chauhan also suffered a 10-0 defeat against Tajikistan’s Shakarmamad Mirmamadov in the men’s +90kg Round of 16.
Tejaswin Shankar Third After Seven Events
India’s campaign also continued in the athletics field, where decathlon star Tejaswin Shankar remained in contention after seven events.
Tejaswin has collected 5,869 points and currently occupies third place. He has three events left in the competition.
Chen Xinghua leads the standings, with Tejaswin 50 points behind the leader. Japan’s Yuma Maruyama is second and holds a 45-point advantage over the Indian.
With three events still to come, Tejaswin remains within reach of the leading positions as the decathlon moves towards its conclusion. (Edited by Enewstime Desk)