GUWAHATI: "If I am her idol, how can she challenge me?" retorted MC
Mary Kom at the press conference after securing a final berth in the 51kg category of the India Open here on Thursday. The six-time world champion was referring to a comment by
Nikhat Zareen - her opponent in the semifinal.
The Telangana boxer had spoken of giving a tough fight to her idol and inspiration - the legendary
Manipur pugilist. Her exact words after setting up the semifinal were: "She's my idol and has got all the experience. I've to apply my brain to win against her. Last time when I fought against her, I was a bit nervous and it was a very tough fight. But this time, I am confident of putting up a strong fight. I will give my 100% and I'm sure the spectators will enjoy it."
But those words did not go well with the veteran boxer as she considered them a problem of "ego and attitude". "They are so lucky to get to fight against me and gain experience. I have proved myself time and again. They can't say these things having won just one international medal," she remarked.
But the Asian Championship bronze medalist did give her idol a good fight and used her head to stop Mary Kom from playing her usual game. It was only in the final round that Mary Kom's experience came to her rescue as she landed a couple of well-connected punches to seal the bout in a split 4-1 decision.
For
Shiva Thapa
, it was another well-thought-out show in the 60kg as he took his time to frustrate D Krystian Sczepanski of Poland before beating him. In men's 52kg, Asian champion Amit did not have an easy outing as compatriot PL Prasad gave him a tough fight. The only top boxer to sail past easily was
Laishram Sarita Devi
, whose opponent from Thailand Janjaem Suwannapheng could not last more than 20 seconds.
Finals lineup Men: 49kg: Deepak vs Govind Kr Sahani; 52kg: Amit Panghal vs Sachin Siwach; 56kg: Kavinder Singh Bisht vs Chatchai Decha Butdee (THA); 60kg: Shiva Thapa vs Manish Kaushik; 64kg: Rohit Tokas vs Colin Louis Richarno; 69kg: Ashish vs Duryodhan Singh Negi; 75kg:
Ashish Kumar vs Eumir Felix Delos Santos (PHL); 81kg: Brijesh Yadav vs Manish Pawar; 91kg: Naman Tanwar vs Sumit Sangwan; +91kg:
Satish Kumar vs Naveen Kumar.