Inside view: What went tactically wrong in London

(81kg; first round)

Sumit was fighting too close to the Brazilian boxer and thus couldn’t utilise his height advantage. Sumit over-relied on straight punches. Florentino used combination punches,which helped him gain three-four points at a go,while the straight punches earned Sumit single points.

Thapa vs Fierro

(56kg; first round)

Thapa’s loss was a case of poor tactics,because he began well but did not have a Plan B when the Mexican came hard at him in the second round. In boxing in general and the bantamweight category specifically,it is important to make the most of one’s light frame.

Vikas vs Spence

(69kg; pre-quarterfinals)

I suspect he suffered from lack of match-fitness. He should have fought three-four practice bouts before his competitive round in London. Vikas was also too defensive. It was strange that he dropped his gumshield because that hands two points to the opponent.

Manoj vs Stalker

(64kg; pre-quarterfinals)

This bout showed the complexity of the scoring system. Manoj also relied too much on straight punches,while his opponent scored via body punches and upper cuts. To the layman,it may appear that Manoj was landing more punches,but he wasconceding much more.

Vijender vs Atoev

(75kg; quarterfinals)

Vijender had beaten Atoev in the Asian Games,but in London he relied on his footwork rather than on landing counter punches. Vijender was carrying an injury and hadn’t recovered from an allergy. He should have attacked a bit more,yet it was one of India’s best bouts.

Devendro vs Barnes

(49kg; quarterfinals)

Devendro’s attacking style reminded me of myself. He should have been leading after the first round. However,coaches should have ensured he stayed calm. He head- butted his opponent and lost points. Barnes took advantage of Devendro’s all-out style and landed more punches.

Jai vs Zhailauov

(60kg; pre-quarterfinals)

Indian boxers tend to lose to the same opponent. Be it Suranjoy Singh against Mongolia’s Nyambayar Tugstsogt or Jai Bhagwan against Ghani. He had lost to Ghani in the World Championships. But from what I saw in London,Jai failed to find a strategy to overcome Zhailauov.