World Boxing Championships: Amit Panghal, Manish Kaushik enter semifinals

NEW DELHI: 'Sky above me, earth below me and fire within me'... That was Indian boxer Amit Panghal's first tweet after landing in Ekaterinburg, Russia for the ongoing World Championships. The fire that Panghal talked about has not only inspired him and teammate Manish Kaushik to advance to the semifinals of the Worlds, but also script a historic chapter for Indian boxing - for the first time, India are assured of more than one medal at the event.It will be also their maiden Worlds medals.
Before the duo's brilliant effort, India had never secured more than one bronze in a single edition of the championship. The winners of past editions include Vijender Singh (2009), Vikas Krishan (2011), Shiva Thapa (2015) and Gaurav Bidhuri (2017). If both Panghal and Kaushik or either of the two manage to reach the final, it would mark a momentous occasion in country's boxing history. That apart, two bronze from the Worlds is no mean feat, considering the high quality of competition.

In the quarters, reigning Asian Games champion Panghal defeated Filipino Carlo Paalam 4-1 in the 52kg category, while Gold Coast CWG silver medallist Kaushik literally blew away the challenge of Brazil's Wanderson de Oliveira in a unanimous 5-0 verdict in the 63kg division. In the semis on Thursday, the diminutive Rohtak boy Panghal will be up against Kazakhstan's Saken Bibossinov, who pulled off one of the biggest upsets of the event by defeating Armenia's European gold medallist, Artur Hovhannisyan, in his quarterfinal bout.

Bhiwani boy Kaushik, on the other hand, will be challenged by his weight division's top seed, Andy Gomez Cruz. The Cuban, who outclassed Russia's Ilia Popov in his quarterfinal showdown, was the light welterweight (64kg) gold medallist at the 2017 Worlds and is a two-time Pan American Games champion.
However, it was curtains for India's other two promising pugilists, Sanjeet (91kg) and Kavinder Singh Bisht (57kg), who lost their respective quarterfinal bouts in contrasting fashion. While Sanjeet lost 1-4 to Ecuador's Julio Castillo Torres, Bisht, an Asian championships silver winner, was outclassed by reigning CWG champion Peter McGrail of England 0-5.

Earlier, it was Panghal who set the ball rolling for India by defeating Paalam. The 'pocket dynamo', as Panghal is famously known in boxing circles, was defensive in his approach in the opening round which saw the Indian trailing. However, he changed his approach in the next two rounds and went on an offensive. "I saw no point in defending, so I started attacking him more in the next rounds. I played according to my strength and didn't allow him to counter-attack. Some of my punches connected well. I understand that this is the Worlds and we have to be aggressive," Panghal told TOI from Ekaterinburg.
Talking about his semis opponent, Panghal said he has seen his videos on the YouTube and has strategized according to his weakness. "I have fought him previously, so I have a fair idea about his boxing. I am going to continue with my same fearless and aggressive approach against Bibossinov," he added.

Kaushik, a debutant at the Worlds, sounded confident about his semifinal chances and said his assured victory in the quarters had boosted his confidence. "My opponent was taller than me and had a better reach and power in his punches. Still, I could keep myself away from his reach and attack him constantly. I followed the strategy of counter-attacking him on the move. I know that my semis opponent has been a world champion and I will try to give my 100 percent," he told TOI.