In a dazzling display of skill and determination, Shiva Thapa and Amit Panghal showcased their boxing prowess, advancing to the quarterfinals on the fourth day of the 7th Elite Men’s National Boxing Championships in Shillong.
Hailing from Assam, Shiva Thapa, a six-time Asian Championships medalist in the 63.5kg category, exhibited dominance in a resounding victory over Santhosh HK from Karnataka, securing a perfect score of 5-0. The gold medalist from previous editions is now geared up to face Shashank Pradhan of Delhi in the upcoming quarterfinal clash.
Amit Panghal, the 2019 World Championships silver medalist in the 51kg category, represented SSCB and faced a formidable opponent in Punjab’s Jayshandeep Singh during the round of 16. Despite a valiant effort from Jayshandeep, Amit emerged triumphant with a scoreline of 4-1. His next challenge awaits in the form of Mohammad Aarif from Jammu and Kashmir in the quarterfinals.
The 2021 Asian Champion, Sanjeet, displayed his boxing finesse against Sawan Gill of Chandigarh. With powerful punches and strategic moves, Sanjeet secured a commanding 5-0 victory, setting the stage for a quarterfinal clash against Naman Tanwar of RSPB.
In another compelling matchup, Ashish Kumar from Himachal Pradesh faced off against Nitish Kumar from Chandigarh. Ashish demonstrated swift and aggressive boxing, achieving a first-round knockout victory. The Tokyo Olympian is now poised to meet Lakshya of SSCB in the quarterfinals.
With over 350 boxers participating across 13 weight categories, the championships continue to be a battleground for emerging and established talents in Indian boxing.
