Akash Sangwan stuns Shiva Thapa to make the title bout in National Games boxing

Haryana’s Poonam, left, lands one on Jamuna Boro of Assam in the 57kg semifinals of the 36th National Games at Gandhinagar on Tuesday.
| Photo Credit: V.V. Krishnan

National champion Akash Sangwan toppled World and Asian medallist Shiva Thapa in a thrilling semifinal bout to enter the men’s 67kg final at the boxing arena of the National Games here on Tuesday. Akash, who registered a 3-2 victory, will take on Haryana’s Sagar on Wednesday.

The taller Services boxer with a southpaw stance performed without pressure and mixed his combinations and body shots well against Shiva, who tried his best to catch up in the third round but lost narrowly.

A grief-stricken Nikhil Dubey, who received the news of his coach’s death in a road accident, stunned Thailand Open champion Sumit Kundu 4-1 to enter the 75kg final.

Young Poonam relied on her fast hands to upset Worlds bronze medallist Jamuna Boro 4-1 in a closely-fought 57kg contest.

Olympic bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain and Worlds medallist Saweety Boora in women’s 75kg, Olympian Simranjit Kaur and Commonwealth Games medallist Jaismine Lamboria in 66kg and double Commonwealth Games medallist Muhammad Hussamuddin and World youth champion Sachin Siwach Junior in men’s 57kg set up mouthwatering summit clashes.

Important results (semifinals): Men: 51kg: Ankit Sharma (Har) bt Sparsh Kumar (Pun) 5-0, Avinash Chandel (HP) bt Karan Rupini (Tri) 5-0; 57kg: Muhammad Hussamuddin (SSCB) bt Lallawmawma (Miz) 5-0, Sachin Siwach Jr. (Har) bt Asif Ali (Guj) 5-0; 60kg: Etash Muhammed Khan (SSCB) bt Pawan Gurung (Utk) 5-0, Vijay Kumar (Pun) bt Myson Moirangthem (Man) 4-1; 67kg: Sagar (Har) bt Chander Mohan (HP) 3-2, Akash Sangwan (SSCB) bt Shiva Thapa (Asm) 3-2; 75kg: Nikhil Dubey (Mah) bt Sumit Kundu (SSCB) 4-1, Malsawmitluanga (Miz) bt Puspender Rathee (Goa) 5-0; 80kg: Sachin Kumar (SSCB) bt Sumit Poonia (Raj) 5-0, Vinit (Har) bt Harpreet (Chd) 5-0; 92kg: Naveen Kumar (Har) bt Kanwarpreet Singh (Pun) 4-1, Sanjeet (SSCB) bt Neeraj Kumar (Raj) RSC-R1; +92kg: Narender (SSCB) bt Reynold Joseph (Mah) 5-0, Sawan Gill (Chd) bt Mohit (Har) RSC-I R1.

Women: 52kg: Minakshi (Har) bt Rashi Sharma (UP) 5-0, Shobhja Kohli (Utk) bt Anjali Sharma (MP) 4-1; 57kg: Poonam (Har) bt Jamuna Boro (Asm) 4-1, Mandeep Kaur (Pun) bt Savita (Chd) 5-0; 60kg: Jaismine Lamboria (Har) bt Pravish Konthoujam (Man) 5-0, Simranjit Kaur (Pun) bt Pwilao Basumatary (Asm) 5-0; 66kg: Ankushita Boro (Asm) bt Lalita (Raj) 5-0, Alena Thounaojam (Man) bt Komalpreet Kaur (Pun) 3-2; 75kg: Lovlina Borgohain (Asm) bt Ruchita Rajput (Guj) 5-0, Saweety Boora (Har) bt Shretima Thakur (HP) 5-0.