Indian boxers finished their campaign in the FXTM International Limassol Boxing Cup in Cyprus in style by claiming four gold, three silver and three bronze medals and taking first place in the overall standings, the first for an Indian team in a European event.
In the finals, reigning National champion Madan Lal (52kg) got past Ayigah Dodsi of Belgium 14-5. 2009 Youth Olympic Games gold medallist V. Durga Rao (56kg) was declared the winner on the basis of individual judges scores after he tied 12-12 with German boxer Dieter Dier.
National champion Mandeep Jangra (69kg) outsmarted Victor Vega Blanco of Spain 22-2, while Praveen (+91kg) posted a comprehensive 17-8 win over Algerian Beguerni Hamza to emerge as champions.
However, Olympians Manoj Kumar (64kg) and Dinesh Kumar (91kg) tasted defeat against Algerians Abdelkader Chadi (13-16) and Chouaib Bouloudinat (11-18) respectively to settle for silver.
Young Sukhdeep Singh gave a good account of his skills before bowing out to local favourite Kyriakos Spanos in the 75kg final. Earlier, Anil Kumar (60kg), Jagroop Singh (81kg) and L. Devendro Singh (49kg) had ensured bronze medals.
Indian boxers also returned two silver and three bronze medals in the Khabarovsk international competition in Russia. National Games gold medallist Th. Nanao Singh (49kg) and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Dilbagh Singh (69kg) had to be content with silver after losing to Russian Sagaluev Bator (8-12) and Kazakh Kozhabekov Bakytzhan (3-9) respectively.
Sunil Kumar (52kg), Shiva Thapa (56kg) and Satish Kumar (+91kg) managed a bronze each.
