New Delhi:
Two-time national champion Jasveer Singh (81kg) was assured of at least a bronze medal without even stepping into the ring on a mixed day for Indian boxers in the AIBA 3 Star China Cup in Guiyang city on Monday.
Two of the three Indian pugilists in action on Monday lost their bouts but not before putting on a valiant fight against their more fancied rivals.
Olympian Diwakar Prasad (60kg), who is making a comeback to the ring after more then two years in wilderness, was the one who emerged a winner on Monday beating Germany's Eugen Burhard 3-2 in a hard-fought contest to enter the quarterfinals.
However, there was heartbreak for S Santhosh Singh (54kg) and Lakhbir Singh (64kg) both of whom lost by a whisker, Indian Boxing Federation Secretary General P K Muralidharan Raja said from Guiyang.
Up against Russia's Vladimir Nikitin, Santhosh went down 2-3 despite a spirited late fight after being down 0-2 in the first round.
Lakhbir's was an even tougher contest and after being down 2-3 at the end of the second round, he bounced back to make it 3-3 in the final three minutes against Russian Adlan Abdur Rashidov.
The 20-year-old Indian was tied 7-7 in the count-back as well but ended up on the losing side after three of the five judges declared Rashidov as the better of the two boxers.
Jasveer, meanwhile, got a bye into the semis and will take on Chinese Meng Fen Long in the final-four round.
on Tuesday, Sunil Kumar (51kg) and two-time national champion Kuldeep Singh (75kg) will be in action in their respective pre-quarterfinal bouts.
The China Cup, a ranking points tournament, features 102 boxers from 19 countries including traditional powerhouses like Cuba, Russia and Kazakhstan.
Two of the three Indian pugilists in action on Monday lost their bouts but not before putting on a valiant fight against their more fancied rivals.
Olympian Diwakar Prasad (60kg), who is making a comeback to the ring after more then two years in wilderness, was the one who emerged a winner on Monday beating Germany's Eugen Burhard 3-2 in a hard-fought contest to enter the quarterfinals.
However, there was heartbreak for S Santhosh Singh (54kg) and Lakhbir Singh (64kg) both of whom lost by a whisker, Indian Boxing Federation Secretary General P K Muralidharan Raja said from Guiyang.
Up against Russia's Vladimir Nikitin, Santhosh went down 2-3 despite a spirited late fight after being down 0-2 in the first round.
Lakhbir's was an even tougher contest and after being down 2-3 at the end of the second round, he bounced back to make it 3-3 in the final three minutes against Russian Adlan Abdur Rashidov.
The 20-year-old Indian was tied 7-7 in the count-back as well but ended up on the losing side after three of the five judges declared Rashidov as the better of the two boxers.
Jasveer, meanwhile, got a bye into the semis and will take on Chinese Meng Fen Long in the final-four round.
on Tuesday, Sunil Kumar (51kg) and two-time national champion Kuldeep Singh (75kg) will be in action in their respective pre-quarterfinal bouts.
The China Cup, a ranking points tournament, features 102 boxers from 19 countries including traditional powerhouses like Cuba, Russia and Kazakhstan.
