The Hindu : Sport / Boxing : Tough contests on the cards

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Saturday, Sep 27, 2008
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Tough contests on the cards

Special Correspondent

GUWAHATI: Indian women boxers will come under severe test as the fourth Asian Women’s boxing championship enters the semifinal stage on Saturday, the penultimate day of the six-day meet. Defending the title India had won at the last championship at Chinese Taipei — with the seven gold medals, two silvers and two bronze medals — the host has 10 pugilists in the semifinals in the 13 weight classes.

Like India, China too has 10 pugilists in the last four stages and will be a serious contender for the overall title. North Korea has nine boxers standing.

Well managed

The coaching staff headed by chief coach Anoop Kumar has handled India’s campaign well so far. What can be a worrying factor for India is that in some of the key semifinal contests Indians are pitted against either Chinese or North Koreans. It will be interesting to see how the Indian coaches and their wards face these situations.

There will be as many as 21 semifinal bouts to be played on Saturday covering 10 weight groups. The light heavy (80 kg) and heavy (86 kg) bouts have just two competitors — one each from India and China. Even the middle (75 kg) class has just three boxers with the Indian getting a bye into the final leaving only one semifinal bout to be held.

Test of skill and stamina

It will be a test of skill and stamina for M.C. Marykom, the reigning world champion in pin weight class (46 kg). While admitting that age and motherhood has slowed her down, the Manipur Police inspector says she needs to lift her game considerably to regain her third successive Asian title. It is pertinent to mention here that Marykom had lost in the first round of the first edition held at Bangkok in 2001.

Thereafter, the six-time National champion won a silver medal in her first World meet in 2001 and followed it up with three straight titles.

She has won two Asian crowns so far.

Four Indian pugilists — Jenni Lalremliani (63 kg), Aswathimol Chenthitail (70 kg), Karamjeet Kaur (75 kg) and Jyotsana (86 kg) — who helped the country win the championship at the last meet are not part of the present squad.

India has already lost a gold medal in light-welterweight (63 kg) where S. Ibemcha Devi bowed out in the first round and the loss of Pranamika Borah in the lightweight (60 kg) meant she failed to regain the silver she had won at the last meet.

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