Amit Panghal landed a series of punches in the third and final round to clinch the win.© AFP
India’s Sachin Siwach (57kg), Sanjeet Kumar (92kg), Amit Panghal (51kg) and Jaismine (women’s 57kg) took another step towards Paris Olympic qualification as they registered convincing victories over their respective opponents to advance in the Boxing World Qualifiers in Bangkok on Thursday. Sachin started the proceedings for India with a clinical 5-0 win against Olympian Batuhan Ciftci of Turkey in the pre-quarterfinal and Sanjeet then saw off the challenge from Luis Sanchez of Venezuela with an identical margin in the round of 32.
In the 57kg category only three boxers will make the cut for the Paris Olympics. Sachin, therefore, needs to win two more bouts to make the cut while Sanjeet, who got a bye in the round of 64, will have a similar target as all four semi-finalists will qualify in his weight category.
Up against an experienced boxer, Sachin came out all guns blazing in round 1 and that strategy worked wonders for the Indian as he took control of the bout very quickly.
He earned an unanimous verdict even in round 2 and though Ciftci attempted a comeback in the third and final round, the Indian was too comfortable in the end.
The 92kg bout between Sanjeet and Sanchez followed a similar pattern as the 2021 Asian Championship gold medallist did not allow his Venezuelan opponent to get a look in, in round 1.
Sanchez did show some spark in round 2 and 3 but the experienced Sanjeet kept himself at bay and landed his punches on counter attacks to win easily.
Later in the day, Jaismine did not give Azerbaijan’s Mahsati Hamzayeva any chance of even putting up a fight as she clinched the women’s 57kg category round of 32 bout with a convincing 5-0 verdict.
2022 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Amit then completed a perfect day for the Indian contingent as he got the better of Mexico’s Mauricio Ruiz 4-1.
The national champion was under pressure in round 1 but he picked up pace in the last minute of that round and then turned the match around with a couple of combination punches in the third and final round to clinch the win.
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