Amandeep fights in the shadows

To be in the same category as Nanao Singh,the 2008 world youth champion and Asian silver medalist,required that much more hard work from Amandeep Singh.

To be in the same category as Nanao Singh,the 2008 world youth champion and Asian silver medalist,required that much more hard work from Amandeep Singh. Amandeep,who won a silver medal in the training-cum-competition event in Russia last year,often spars with Nanao at NIS,Patiala and both of them are usually seen working together under the watchful eyes of coach Shiv Singh.

Like Nanao,Amandeep is also a southpaw and the experience of sparring with a a left-hander came in handy for the boxer,as he scored an emphatic 7-1 win over M Redzuan in the fly-weight category. On Tuesday,Amandeep became only the fifth Indian to move into the finals of the Commonwealth Boxing Championship,but he was soon followed by Jai Bhagwan who also sealed a finals spot after getting a walkover from Englands Danny Phillips.

I often train with Nanao and it is very important for both of us as we are both lefties. We have to devise various counter-punches in a similar style and thats a difficult thing to do. Most of the bouts which I have fought in the initial rounds have been against left-handers and it came helped once again against Redzuan. He is a tall boxer and was trying some wild swings so I put my guard up in the second round, said Amandeep,who will now face Peter Mungai of Kenya in the final.

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With six of his boxers in the final,India coach Gurbux Singh Sandhu was ecstatic. All of them are looking like our best bets but the English and Welsh boxers will be a tough challenge in the finals, said Sandhu.

Meanwhile,Englands Ian Weaver continued his dream run in the bantam weight category with a 12-3 thrashing of Beijing bronze medalist Bruno Julie of Mauritius. Weaver,who had earlier ousted Akhil Kumar,made full use of Julies defensive approach. The England boxer concentrated on counter punches and moved one step closer to what could be his second gold in India.

Results: 49kg: Peter Mungai (KEN) bt Bathusi Mogajane 7-0,Amandeep Singh bt M Redzuan (MAS) 7-1,56kg: Ian Weaver (ENG) bt Bruno Julie (MAR) 12-3,K Wanniarachchi (SRI) bt Tirafalo Seoko (BOT) 6-2 RSC Inj,60kg: Valention Knowles (BAH) bt Joseph Njohu (KEN) 4-2,Jai Bhagwan (IND) walkover Danny Phillips (ENG),64kg: Chirs Jenkins (WAL) bt Hashim Petro 8-3,Scott Cardle (ENG) bt Richarno Colin (MRI) 10-2,69kg: Fred Evans (WAL) bt Callum Smith (ENG) 6-0,Moabi Mothiba (BOT) bt Nivesh Gyadin (MRI) 7-2

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