Akhil’s campaign comes to early end

Before the start of the Commonwealth Boxing Championships,Beijing Olympics quarter-finalist Akhil Kumar had said crowd support would be the key to his success at the home event. Plagued by injuries after Beijing,Kumar was expecting to hit peak form in the event,but his journey into the new season began with a 12-6 quarter-final loss to England’s Ian Weaver.

Known for his lower-guard technique,the Haryana boxer went into a 3-2 lead before going down 7-6 in the second round. While most of Kumar’s punches were landing above Weaver’s waist,the fact that it did not result in scoring punches for Kumar hurt him the most. “The two points which Weaver got at the end of round one made all the difference. My plan was to go with the right uppercut technique. I was able to connect with my right jabs but I was little unfortunate that the left hooks did not carry much power,” said Kumar after the bout. “I know a lot of people will criticise my lower-guard technique but it is the same technique which got me gold in Melbourne as well as the Olympic qualifiers. I will always be ready to vacate my slot if I feel I am not performing well,” said Akhil.

Jai Bhagwan continued his fine run with a 7-1 win over Scotland’s Josh Taylor in the lightweight category (60 kg). Amandeep Singh assured India a sixth medal with a clinical 9-1 win over Rajabu O Mbwana of Tanzania in the light flyweight category. In the last bout of the day,Manpreet Singh of India lost 6-1 to Scotland’s Stephen Simmons in the 91+ kg category.

Results: 48 kg: Bathusi Mogajane (BOT) bt TMC Thennakoon (SRI) 14-1,Peter Mungai (KEN) bt Iain Butcher 4-0,Amandeep Singh (IND) bt Rajabu O Mbwana 9-1,M Redzuan (MAS) bt Afzal Hossan (MRI) 7-2,56 kg: Bruno Julie (MRI) bt Muhammed Solihin (SIN) 18-0 RSC,Ian Weaver (ENG) bt Akhil Kumar (IND) 12-6,Tirafalo Seoka (BOT) bt Martin Odur (KEN) 2-1,M Wanniarachchi (SRI) bt Michael Roberts (SCO) 8-4,60 kg: Joseph Njohu (KEN) bt Nort Beauchamp (NZL) 3-1,Valention Knowles (BAH) bt R Gunathilaka (SRI) 8-2,Jai Bhagwan (IND) bt Josh Taylor (SCO) 7-1,Danny Phillips (ENG) bt Darren Edwards (WAL) 10-2