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Indian pugilists are upbeat

Sports Reporter

— PHOTO: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar

GOOD GOING: Akhil Kumar is happy with the show at the World Cup.

NEW DELHI: After a dream start to their campaign in the ongoing International Boxing Association World Cup in Moscow, the Indian boxers are determined to go for the gold.

In an unprecedented performance, all the four boxers from India — Jitender Kumar (51kg), Akhil Kumar (54kg), A.L. Lakra (57kg) and Dinesh Kumar (81kg) — have won their first round encounters to ensure that they would not return empty-handed. As expected, they are upbeat if not overconfident.

“The mood in the camp is very good. We are like a team, we are together and we back each other.

“Each one of us is very motivated to put up a better show and we are in a very relaxed mood with Lakra providing the ultimate entertainment with his one-liners,” said Akhil, the most experienced boxer in the Indian camp, to The Hindu over phone on Friday.

Akhil, who registered a convincing 15-6 win over Marcel Schneider of Germany, said the Indians had been lucky so far in this competition.

Hard work pays off

“We all admit that God has been gracious to us and our hard work has paid off. But the real test is ahead as all our opponents belong to the elite class.

“Nobody knows what will happen, but we are confident that we can win the gold,” he said. On what it means to win four World Cup medals in an event, Akhil, who is to meet Yankiel Leon Alarcon of Cuba in the semifinals, had an apt explanation.

“This shows our strength. Now the boxing fraternity all over the world recognises India as a power to reckon with. People, no more, can say that we carry an air of over-confidence,” he asserted.

Jitender, who defeated Jo Gage of Wales 18-6, sounded equally confident. “So far everything has gone in our favour. We will give our best shot, the rest is up to the Almighty,” he said. Jitender will clash with Cuban Hernandez Laffita in the semifinals.

Dinesh Kumar, who got past Abdelhafid Benchabla of Algeria 17-11, will meet Artur Beterbiev of Russia in the last-four stage. Lakra got a walkover from Arturo Santos Reyes of Mexico and will now lock horns with another Cuban Idel Torriente.

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