Ankushita’s brilliant performance headlines India’s memorable day at Women’s Youth Boxing Worlds

Guwahati: The five Indian boxers in action at the Women’s Youth Boxing Worlds on Tuesday recorded wins to make it a perfect day for the hosts.

India’s Jyoti Gulia, Shashi Chopra and Ankushita Boro booked a place in the quarter-finals earlier in the day. Later in the evening, Neetu and Sakshi Choudhary too joined her teammates in the last-eight, beating Bulgaria’s Emi-Mari Todorova. Sakshi then went on to a make it a clean sweep for the day, winning her 54 kg encounter against Russia’s Indira Shudabaeva.

Jyoti and local girl Ankushita were a revelation as they displayed their skill and class against tough opponents.

Chopra wrapped up her second win of the tournament with some ease, gauging her opponent Lin Li Wei-Yi’s in the first round before making it look all too easy in the last two. She eased into her rhythm, shuffling in the centre of the ring and pummelling her opponent at will. She threw straight punches in ones and twos, cleanly striking her opponent on the jaw, head and midriff.

It was local girl Boro (64 kg) who stood out. Such was her class that her opponent, Cagla Aluc of Turkey will remember her demolition for a long time. The Assamese pugilist not only demonstrated strength and power, but excellent footwork and fists of fury too.

Revenge also played a key role behind Boro’s stupendous win as Aluc, the European champion, had beaten the Indian in the Ahmet Comert International Boxing tournament in Istanbul last month. Coach Rafaelle Bergamasco made some tactical tweaks during this bout after the setback in Turkey. It paid rich dividends as Aluc was caught off guard.

The noise levels were deafening from the time Boro stepped into the ring, “She beat me in her country, so it was only natural that I had to return the compliment in my own country,” the welterweight boxer said.

Nitu, too was understandably delighted after her victory. “It was an easy bout for me. I had beaten her earlier in Bulgaria too and I knew how to tackle her,” she said. “She didn’t allow me to move freely in the first round and my coach changed my strategy midway that made all the difference,” she added.

Jyoti too boxed with conviction, deploying a straight jab, left hook and throwing her right punch straight from the shoulder to rattle her strong and aggressive Ukrainian opponent Anastasiia Lisinska.

Sakshi got her tournament up and running, getting the better of her opponent via split decision to complete’s India’s dominance during the day. For much of the bout, it seemed as though Shudabaeva had it under control in a closely-fought battle, which was decided on points. The Haryana boxer was staunch in defence and used 1-2-3 routines in short bursts to upset her opponent’s rhythm.

Others

Italy’s Nicoli Rebecca also made an impression, staging the first shock of the day and upsetting European champion Chelsey Heijnen in the light-welterweight category.

USA star flyweight boxer Heaven Garcia probably never expected Kim to take the fight to her and corner her during the first five minutes of the bout. The Korean came out with loads of aggression and staccato punches to surprise her.

Fortunately, Heaven steadied herself by the second round and consolidated her position in the final round to come out unscathed. Even though she pulled through, the victory lacked conviction.“I will do better in my next bout. Things did not go the way I planned it out,” the American said.