Pooja, Jaismine make it to World Boxing semifinals, assure two more medals for India

World Boxing Cup Astana gold medalist Nupur was the first Indian to be assured of a medal when she reached the women’s 80+kg quarterfinals on Wednesday

Hyderabad: Two-time Asian champion Pooja Rani and World Boxing Cup Astana gold medallist Jaismine Lamboria registered contrasting wins to assure two more medals for India in the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool.

Pooja Rani got the better of Poland’s Emilia Koterska 3:2 in the women’s 80kg quarterfinals, while Jaismine dominated Under-22 Asian champion Mamajonova Khumorabonu of Uzbekistan 5:0 to reach the Women’s 57kg semi-final.

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India has fielded a 20-member contingent at the inaugural World Championships being held under the aegis of the World Boxing – a recently formed international governing body for boxing, and is hoping for a good showing in both men’s and women’s events.

World Boxing Cup Astana gold medalist Nupur was the first Indian to be assured of a medal when she reached the women’s 80+kg quarterfinals on Wednesday.

Two more Indian boxers — Meenakshi (women’s 48kg) and Jadumani Singh Mandengbam (men’s 50kg) — are a win away from assuring themselves a medal and will be playing their quarterfinals on Friday.

In a keenly contested women’s 80kg bout, Pooja Rani banked on her experience to tackle the speed and energy of her much-younger opponent.

The Polish boxer was slightly ahead in the contest after the opening round, but Pooja Rani dominated the second to take control and then maintained a cautious game plan to assure herself a semifinal berth.

In the women’s 57kg contest, Jaismine did not allow the Uzbek boxer to settle down in the first round itself and maintained that advantage throughout the three rounds.

However, it was the end of the road for former world champion Nikhat Zareen and World Boxing Cup silver medallist Abhinash Jamwal.

Facing two-time Olympic silver medallist Cakiroglu Buse Naz of Turkey in the women’s 51kg quarterfinals, Nikhat fought valiantly in all three rounds but the judges gave the Turk the advantage.

Later, Jamwal went down 1:4 against Paris Olympics bronze medallist Guruli Lasha of Georgia in the men’s 65kg quarterfinals.