Asian U-19 & U-23 Boxing: India assured of six U-19 men's medals after dominant QF display
Jakarta, July 11
India guaranteed themselves six medals in the U-19 men's competition at the Asian U-19 & U-23 Boxing Championships after six participants advanced to the semifinals with commanding victories in Jakarta, Indonesia, on Saturday.
The Indian contingent produced an impressive all-round display across multiple weight categories, with Aditya (55kg), Sikander (60kg), Mausam Suhag (65kg), Devender Choudhary (75kg), Sagar (85kg), and Shubham Rajput (90kg) all progressing to the last four to ensure podium finishes for the country.
Aditya opened India's successful run with a clinical 5:0 unanimous decision over the Philippines' Baruis Ephraim John in the 55kg category. Sikander followed suit in the 60kg division, overcoming Tajikistan's Sharifkhon Nuraliev 4:1 to book his place in the semifinals.
Mausam Suhag also advanced in the 65kg category, adding another assured medal to India's tally.
In the higher weight classes, Devender Choudhary dominated host boxer Muhammad Rayhan Athaillah of Indonesia, claiming a comprehensive 5:0 victory in the 75kg quarterfinal.
Sagar produced one of the standout performances of the day in the 85kg division, forcing a referee-stopped contest (RSC) in the second round against Indonesia's Irnanda Firmanda. Shubham Rajput was equally dominant in the 90kg category, registering an RSC victory in the opening round over Indonesia's Nouval Nouval.
India also endured a few heartbreaks in closely fought contests. Ambekar Meitei Lairenlakp (50kg) narrowly missed out on a semifinal berth after suffering a 3:2 split-decision defeat to Japan's Kotaro Nishizaki. Lokesh (80kg) lost 3:1 to Kazakhstan's Timur Taibekov, while Loven Gulia (+90kg) went down via an RSC in the second round against Kazakhstan's Vladislav Samozhonov.
With six semifinalists in the U-19 men's draw, India has already secured six medals at the continental championships, underlining the country's growing depth in age-group boxing. The Asian U-19 & U-23 Boxing Championships, being held in Jakarta from July 5 to 16, will continue with the semifinal bouts in the coming days.
— IANS
Reader Comments
Brilliant display by our boys! Devender Choudhary and Sagar were outstanding. But we need to work on those close losses - three boxers missing out by narrow margins shows we're almost there, just need that extra edge. Still, very proud moment for Indian sports! 🙌
Impressive depth in Indian boxing. Six semifinalists across different weight categories shows the system is working. The RSC victories by Sagar and Shubham Rajput are particularly encouraging - they're not just winning, they're dominating. Can't wait to see how they perform in the semis!
So proud of our young boxers! Aditya and Sikander showing great technique. While the results are amazing, I hope the authorities focus on proper nutrition and training facilities for these athletes. Our boxers have the talent, they just need the right support system to compete at the highest level. 💪
Good performance but we need to analyze why we lost 3 close matches. Those split decisions and close fights matter in the long run. The wins are great, but we shouldn't ignore the areas where we fell short. Overall, a promising campaign! 🥊🇮🇳
Six medals already - that's a massive achievement at the Asian level. The U-19 program is clearly producing results. I'm especially impressed with the heavyweights Sagar and Shubham winning by stoppage. India is building a solid boxing culture! 🏆
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