Chandigarh: As many as 12 boxers from the Services entered the finals in comparison to four from Haryana in the BFI’s second Junior National Boxing Championships at the University Hall here, but it was Manish Rathore of Uttar Pradesh, who sent Asia’s best boxer, Sanjeet from the Services, yesterday, stole the thunder storming into the 46 kg final.
The UP pugilist, who won a split verdict against Vikas Thakur of Punjab, will take in Maharashtra’s Rehan Sheikh in the final. The Maharashtra lad defeated Ruchir of Madhya Pradesh 5:0. But Kuldeep Singh of Punjab made amends when he entered the final beating Javad of Uttar Pradesh in 59 kg, also a 3:2 decision going in favour of the Punjab boxer. He will clash with S Victor Singh of Services who overcame a tough semifinal bout against Aman Yadav of Maharashtra to move ahead with a 4:1 decision.
It will be a clash between Services and Haryana in 48 kg final as Bishwamitra emerged victorious 5:0 against Abhinav Katoch of Himachal to earn a meeting with Haryana’s Sachin who defeated Priyobarta Singh from Manipur, also a clear decision in favour of Sachin.
In rest of the weight category semifinals, Punjab’s Kuljit and Services A Naoba Singh (52 kg), Yatibha and Abhinash Jamwal (54), Rabichandra Singh and T H Lakhmani (57), L. Bilotson Singh and Jaspreet Singh (60), Ajay Kumar and Saksham Singh (63) were some of the winners who moved into the finals.
Haryana’s Rajni was a step closer to the top-podium finish when she defeated Manipur’s O Pinki Chand 5:0 in the 46 kg semifinals. Rajni, who won a gold medal at Serbia’s Nations Cup earlier this year, was at her best against the Manipuri. Punching her way up from the first round, Rajni forced Pinki on the back foot straight as she landed a few combination blows.
Continuing her aggressive form, the Haryana girl was all over her opponent which left the Manipuri to settle for the bronze. In the 52 kg semifinal bout, internationals N Baby Roji Sana from Manipur and Tannu from Haryana both but it was the Haryana girl who had the last laugh, winning the bout 5:0 in what was a tough bout which the pugilists handled rather well. But the technical superiority of Tannu must have impressed the judges to see her in the final.