Asian Games: Ankush enters men's 80kg SF, assures India's first boxing medal in Aichi-Nagoya

Nishio, Sep 27

Reigning Commonwealth Games champion Ankush Panghal assured India of their first boxing medal at the ongoing Asian Games after defeating Tajikistan's Nekruz Salimov in the men's 80kg quarterfinals by a unanimous decision of 5-0 at the Nishio Gymnasium here on Sunday.

Ankush dominated Salimov for the major part of the three-round bout. He bagged the first two rounds unanimously before the Tajik boxer took the third round but could not change the result of the game.

The CWG gold medallist won the bout with four judges ruling 29-28 in his favour and one giving him 30-27 across the three rounds. Ankush was pretty much dominant in the first two rounds as he showed his speed, punches and defence, while Salimov found it hard to contend with the Indian pugilist.

Ankush won the first round with a 5-0 score as he connected a few right hooks and 1-2 punches. He displayed his fierce left hook in the second round and moved extremely well with his counter punches giving him another 5-0 ruling.

Salimov bounced back in the final round as he grew in desperation for a knockdown. He landed some punches on Ankush, but the Indian pugilist kept his defence as the Tajik won the third round 4-1, but it wasn't enough as Ankush comfortably won the bout.

Earlier, in the Kurash events, Indian athletes bowed out in early rounds. Vishal lost his men’s +90kg quarter-finals to Thailand's Kunathip Yea-On after going down 5-0.

Another Indian athlete, Sangita Balhara, went down to Charmea Quelino of the Philippines in the women's -57kg Round of 32 by 10-0. Bharti went down to Iran's Tahereh Azarpeivand in the women's -57kg round of 16, while Yash Kumar Chauhan lost to Tajikistan’s Shakarmamad Mirmamadov in the men's +90kg round of 16 by 10-0.

Elsewhere, in the athletics field, India's decathlon star Tejaswin Shankar dropped down to the third spot after seven events at the ongoing Games. Tejaswin has 5869 points with three events remaining and is 50 points behind leader Chen Xinghua and 45 behind Japan's Yuma Maruyama, who is placed second.