National Games: Negi manages to outpoint Balvinder

Meena Kumari wards off Ankita Gayrta’s challenge

Senior National champion Duryodhan Singh Negi (left) and Balvinder traded blows for blows before the former prevailed in their light welterweight bout. Photo: K.K. Najeeb

Senior National champion Duryodhan Singh Negi of SSCB had to sweat before overcoming former Asian medallist Balvinder of Haryana 25-21 in a men’s boxing light welterweight clash in the 35th National Games here on Monday.

It was a ‘bloody’ battle from the start. Balvinder was in no mood to wait. He came up with a flurry of punches to take a 9-7 lead after the first round. Negi returned the favour in the second with some telling blows.

The battle was intense in the final round with both boxers going for the kill. Balvinder smashed Negi’s left ear. But the latter was not willing to give up. With blood oozing out, the SSCB boxer went after his opponent to book a place in the quarterfinals.

First knockout

The day saw the first knockout in four days with Delhi’s Yogesh Tokas taking out Sunil of Punjab in the very first round of a bantamweight bout.

Kerala’s Meena Kumari was just too good for Madhya Pradesh’s Ankita Gayrta.

The National champion, who is ranked seventh in the world in her category, scored a comfortable 17-7 win for a place in the last eight of the women’s lightweight class.

The tall Ankita enjoyed a better reach but that did not deter Meena. Being quick on her feet, she ducked, swayed and rained down hard punches. Ankita had just one option — to hold and not allow her to box.

It did work to some extent and, Meena, who was trained to hit on her higher range, was not able to give her cent per cent. She quickly changed her strategy and worked hard from there for a well deserved win.

The results: Men: Light fly: Pradeep Sharma (J&K) bt Mazhar Hussain (WB) 40-19; R. Nithin Raj (Ker) bt Sumit Bansi (Goa) 25-20. Fly: Mohimai (Kar) bt S. Nagaraj (TN) 28-7.

Bantam: Yoginder (Har) bt Tsukumong (Nag) 31-10; Yogesh Tokas (Del) bt Sunil (Pun) KO.

Light: Sauban Santosh Singh (Man) bt Deva Naik (Goa) 18-15; Sandeep (Har) bt Hemant Mehar (Utk) 31-17. Light welter: Duryodhan Singh Negi bt Balvinder (Har) 25-21.

Women: Fly: Tonibala Chanu (Aru) bt Gurharkirat Kaur (Pun) 24-6; Dolly Singh (WB) bt Bhadauriya Jyoti (Guj) RSC R1.

Light: Sunita Yadav (Goa) bt Annapurna (AP) 18-4; M. Meena Kumari (Ker) bt Ankita Gayrta (MP) 17-7; Geeta (Del) bt Priyanka Thakur (Pun) 12-8; Anjema Khakalary (Aru) bt Kamla Bisht (Utk) 17-17.

Middle: Swarna Sikha w/o Rajwinder Kaur (Tri); Satti Vapa Marthamma (AP) bt Rekha (MP) 19-10.