Delhi and UP boxers make strong start at Youth Men’s National Championships
The first day of the sixth Youth Men's national boxing championships saw boxers from Uttar Pradesh and Delhi portraying their skills. While five boxers from Delhi proved their mettle, four from Uttar Pradesh started their campaigns on a winning note at Gangtok, Sikkim.
Umesh Kumar, representing Delhi pictured clinical performance facing off Pavan Ventada of Arunachal Pradesh in 52kg round of 32 bout. He secured a 5-0 unanimous triumph over Ventada, visibly dominating the contest from the beginning to the end.
There was an intense rivalry between Delhi's Aditya Bist and Assam's Ganga Rabha in the 75kg middleweight category. Both of them demonstrated attacking prowess leaving no room for error. However, it was Aditya to emerge as the winner with a close 4-3 split verdict, propelling him to the pre-quarterfinals.
Three other boxers from the country's capital asserted dominance as Kapil Dev, Arman Singh Phogat, and Jay Tushir secured victories in the 60kg, 67kg, and 90kg categories, respectively. The opponents, in no way, matched their calibre and faced defeats in their respective bouts. With these wins, the trio advanced to the round of 16 stage.
Uttar Pradesh boxers prove their mettle in the championship
Apart from Delhi, Uttar Pradesh's boxers also enjoyed a successful day in the ring. Rohit Yadav shone in the 57kg with a first-round knockout win versus Meghalaya's Khrawkupar Thangkiew. He will now battle against Haryana's Akshat in the pre-quarterfinals.
Uttar Pradesh athletes Samir ul Haq, Karan, and Vishal Tomar triumphed in their respective rounds of 32 bouts. While Samir was the star of 51kg, Karan and Tomar proved their worth in the 60kg and 71kg categories respectively.
On the other hand, Rohit Chamoli, the champion of the 2021 Asian Junior Championship, received a walkover when his opponent Himanshu Verman did not compete. He was set to take the ring for the 54kg weight category. Consequently, he progressed to the round of 16.
A total of 337 boxers are eager to leave their mark on the national level. It promises to be an exciting tournament as these motivated athletes are battling it out, showcasing their skill and determination, in their respective weight categories.