Guwahati: Six-time world champion Mary Kom in the 51 kg category clinched the second edition of the India Open Boxing Tournament at the Karmabir Nabin Chandra Bordoloi AC Indoor Stadium on Friday.
The London Olympic bronze medallist blew away the challenge of Vanlal Duati in a facile 5-0 win. This was Mary’s second gold in the tournament, having won in 48 kg last year in the capital.
Amit Panghal in 52 kg won his third gold medal of the year and Shiva Thapa finished on top in 60 kg.
Fresh from winning her eighth medal at the Asian Championships, Sarita Devi added the India Open 60 kg gold medal to her illustrious resume and Neeraj carried on her giant-killing form to stun Asian Championships bronze medallist Manisha Moun in 57 kg.
Panghal smartly evaded Sachin Siwach’s attacks in the first round. It was towards the end of the second round that the Asian Games gold medallist found his rhythm and started choosing the right moments to land his blows over the former world youth champion.
Panghal dominated the third round to make his way to the yellow metal following gold medals in the Strandja Cup and Asian Championships this year.
Much to the delight of the crowd, Shiva grabbed the 60 kg gold in a revenge bout against 2018 champion Manish Kaushik, a year after losing to him in the semi-finals.
The Guwahati boy, who won a bronze at the continental event this year, was fierce and aggressive and did not put a foot wrong in the 5-0 demolition.
Sarita endured a tough fight from Simranjit Kaur to edge the World Championships bronze medallist for a 3-2 win.
This was the former world champion’s first gold medal in any competition in three years following her victory at the South Asian Games in 2016 in Shillong. The veteran pugilist dedicated the prized medal to her mother whom she lost to cancer last year.
A day after knocking out World Championships silver medallist Sonia, Neeraj continued her sublime form to notch up a commanding 5-0 victory over Manisha, who had changed the category from 54 kg to 57 kg.
Asian Championships bronze medallist Ashish showed his prowess in 69 kg to soar to a 4-1 win over compatriot Duryodhan Singh Negi. Local girl Jamuna Boro delivered a flurry of punches that earned her a perfect 5-0 win over Y. Sandhyarani.
World Championships bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain did not share the same fortunes despite vociferous cheers of support from the crowd.
The 69 kg exponent missed out on the gold in a tight contest where she ended up 2-3 to Italy’s Assunta Canfora. There was no stopping for Deepak in 49 kg.
Oozing confidence with every punch, the Asian Championships silver medallist knocked out Govind Kumar Sahani 5-0.
Kavinder Singh Bisht had to settle for the silver in a 2-3 result in a hard-fought contest with 2015 Asian champion Chatchai Decha Butdee. This was Bisht’s second consecutive silver this year after the Asian Championships last month.
In 64 kg, Rohit Tokas suffered a knee twist in the first round and was forced to forfeit his bout to 2010 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Colin Louis Richarno of Mauritius. Tokas, who secured the India Open bronze a year before, had to be content with the silver.
Ashish Kumar’s hopes of adding the 75 kg gold were dashed as he had to give a walkover to Philippines’s Eumir Felix Delos Santos due to a cut that he sustained on his forehead in the semi-finals.
