The Indian National Champion: India’s Sachin Siwach (57kg), Sanjeet Kumar (92kg), Amit Panghal (51kg), and Jaismine (women’s 57kg) took another step towards Paris Olympic qualification as they registered convincing wins over their respective opponents to advance to the next round in Boxing World Qualifiers in Bangkok, Thailand, on Thursday.
Siwach started the proceedings for India with a clinical 5-0 win over Olympian Batuhan Ciftci of Turkey in the pre-quarterfinal round and Sanjeet then saw off the challenge from Luis Sanchez of Venezuela with an identical margin in the Round of 32.
As per the rules, in the men’s 57kg category only three boxers will make the cut for the Paris Olympics, Siwach therefore needs to win two more bouts to make the cut while Sanjeet, who got a bye in the Round of 64, will have a similar target as all four semifinalists will qualify in his weight category.
Up against an experienced boxer, Siwach came out all guns blazing in Round 1 and that strategy worked for him as he took control of the bout very quickly. He earned a unanimous verdict even in Round 2 and though Ciftci attempted a comeback in the third and final round, the Indian was too comfortable in the end.
The 92kg bout between Sanjeet and Sanchez followed a similar trajectory as the 2021 Asian Championship gold medallist did not allow his Venezuelan opponent to get a look in, in Round 1.
Sanchez did show some spark in Round 2 and 3 but the experienced Sanjeet kept him at bay and landed his punches on counterattacks to win easily.
Later in the day, Jaismine did not give Azerbaijan’s Mahsati Hamzayeva any chance of even putting up a fight as she clinched the women’s 57kg category Round of 32 bout with a 5:0 verdict.
The 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Amit Panghal then completed a perfect day for the Indian contingent as he got the better of Mexico’s Mauricio Ruiz 4-1.
The Indian National Champion was under pressure in Round 1 but he picked up pace in the last minute of that round and then turned the match around with a couple of combination punches in the third and final round to clinch the win.