India assured of two medals

In the past one year,both Beijing Olympics bronze medallist Vijender Singh and Asian champion Suranjoy Singh have out-punched rivals with ease to fetch India a number of international medals. On Saturday,the two again assured India two medals in the Commonwealth Boxing Championship,with resounding wins over their respective rivals. Suronjoy ended the challenge of Benson Gicharu of Kenya with a 14-2 win,while Vijender scored his first victory in front of the home crowd in the last three years with a 5-0 win through RSC over Malyasia’s Mohammed Haron.

While Suranjoy went all out from his first round,Vijender preferred to judge Haron’s game early on before coming up with a flurry of punches to force the referee to stop the bout. “I would have liked to face him for the full bout as it would have given me enough practice,but I am happy to begin on an aggressive note,” Vijender said later.

Dinesh Kumar also won,with a 7-2 RSC score over Reece Papuni of New Zealand,though eight-time national champion Dilbaug Singh lost 5-4 to England’s Callum Smith.

Other results: Andrew Selby (WAL) beat Gamal Yafai (ENG) 7-6,Oliver Lavigi (MRI) beat Sundey Elias (TAN) 6-2,PD Suresh (SRI) beat Michael Rantsto (BOT) 9-2,Fred Evans (WAL) beat Rayton Okwiri (KEN) 7-5,Moabi Mothiba (BOT) beat Aston Brown (SCO) 9-2,Nivesh Gyadin (MRI) bt Joseph M Waselage (TAN) 1-0,Nathan McEwen (NZL) bt R Tharanga Jayathlake (SRI) 11-2,Frank Buglioni (ENG) bt Ced Ric Oliver (MRI) 8-2,Selemani Kidunda (TAN) bt Nicholas Odiambo (KEN) 3-0,Leonard Machichi (TAN) bt Obed Mkawakonga (ENG) 4-1