Boxers Jamuna and Ankushita start their campaigns with emphatic victories

World championships bronze medallist Jamuna Boro and her Assam state-mate and World youth champion Ankushita Boro posted emphatic wins to begin their campaign in style at the boxing arena of the National Games here on Thursday.

While Jamuna trounced Nirmal of Nagaland 5-0 in a women’s 57kg fight, Ankushita beat former World junior medallist Nikarika Gonella in a 66kg bout to enter the quarterfinals.

Jamuna unsettled Nirmal early by landing a flurry of punches before banking on her swift movements to record a comprehensive victory.

“I wanted to get off to a decent start and live up to the expectations. The going will not be easy as there are many good boxers in my category,” said Jamuna.

Jamuna Boro of Assam in red against Nirmal of Nagaland in the feather weight category of the women’s boxing at Gandhinagar, during the 36th National Games on October 6, 2022.
| Photo Credit: V.V. Krishnan

Ankushita displayed her combinations to trouble Telangana’s Niharika, who got as many as four standing counts, before the referee stopped the contest in the final round.

In the men’s section, South Asian Games gold medallist Ankit Khatana (75kg) and National champion Sachin Kumar (80kg) registered comfortable wins.

Sachin Kumar of SSCB (Blue) against Sejad Aslam Bhai Lilghar in the Light Heavy weight category of Mens Boxing at Gandhinagar, during the 36th National Games in Gujarat.
| Photo Credit: V.V. Krishnan

Important results (preliminary round): 67kg: Chander Mohan (HP) bt Amit Sheoran (Raj) 5-0, Rayyan MD (Kar) bt Rahul (Utk) 4-1; 75kg: Ankit Khatana (Har) bt Jitendra Prajapati (DDNH) RSC-R3; Buntee Singh (Del) bt Rahul Hooda (Chd) 4-0, Nikhil Dubey (Mah) bt Priresh Bishnoi (Raj) 4-1; 80kg: Sachin Kumar (SSCB) bt Sejad Aslam (Guj) 4-1; Harpreet (Chd) bt Bobin Chauhan (HP) 5-0; 92kg: Parvesh Musharaf (TN) bt Bastab Chetia (Asm) 5-0; +92kg: Tarun Kumar (Raj) bt Akash (Del) 5-0; Reynold Joseph (Mah) bt Roshan Sonar (Asm) 5-0. 

Women: 57kg: Jamuna Boro (Asm) bt Nirmal (Nag) 5-0, Poonam (Har) bt Vinakshi Dhota (HP) 5-0, Samim Banu Khulakpham (Man) bt Jyoti (Del) 5-0; 66kg: Ankushita Boro (Asm) bt Niharika Gonella (Tel) RSC-R3, Lalita (Raj) bt Shivangi Thakur (HP) 5-0, Anjali Tushir (Del) bt Jyoti Rani (Har) 3-2.