M C Mary Kom struck gold in the women's competition but India's men were denied a complete sweep by traditional powerhouses Cuba and Uzbekistan on an exciting final day of the India Open boxing tournament, in Delhi, on Thursday.
Celebrated boxer M C Mary Kom will aim for a historic sixth gold at the AIBA Women' World Championships, the build up of which has been marred by a row over lone Kosovan boxer's participation and poor quality air in the national capital.
Olympic bronze-medallist M C Mary Kom (51kg) and World Championship bronze-winner Shiva Thapa (56kg) were given the top billing in the Asian Olympic Qualifying Tournament draw held in Qian'an, China on Friday.
It turned out to be a largely disappointing day for Indian boxers at the Asian Games with former World Championship bronze-medallist Vikas Krishan (75kg) being the only one to advance, making the quarter-final, while three others fell by the wayside.
Five-time world champion M C Mary Kom entered the final in the 48 kg classs at the Commonwealth Games, beating Sri Lanka's Anusha Dilrukshi , on Wednesday.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday
MC Mary Kom advanced to the final but Shiva Thapa settled for a bronze medal after an upset semi-final loss in the India Open boxing tournament for men and women in New Delhi on Wednesday.
'All I am saying is just give me a chance. It is my dream to compete in the Olympics too.'
'I am not saying let me go to the Olympics. I am asking for a fair chance for a trial.'
'All these years I have been training for what? What is the point if I cannot compete?'
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Sunday
Vijender Singh (75kg) made a return to the Indian boxing team along with Thokchom Nanao Singh (49kg) as the selectors picked the team for the World Championships after a two-day trial in Patiala, on Wednesday.
Celebrated Indian woman boxer L Sarita Devi comfortably outpunched Zsofia Bedo of Hungary to make a winning start to her professional career in the IBC Fight Night at the at the Khuman Lampak Stadium, in Imphal on Sunday.
Indian boxers continued to pack a mighty punch at the World Championships, as Manoj Kumar (64kg) and Manpreet Singh (91kg) entered the pre-quarter-finals with contrasting victories in their respective second round bouts, in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Friday.
Mayank Agarwal's continued his dream run smashing a double hundred in company of centurion Prithvi Shaw as India 'A' flayed the South African bowling attack to reach 411 for two on the second day of the 'four day' Test.
A hoped-for fight to the finish for the year-end number one ranking at next month's ATP World Tour Finals in London will likely be a coronation for Rafael Nadal, who is virtually guaranteed ending 2017 top of the pile.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Thursday
Two of the three Indian boxers, who had alleged manipulation in the World Championship trials, were, on Saturday, let off with warnings by the National Federation even as the third was summoned to appear before the disciplinary committee on September 30.
The three Indian boxers who alleged manipulation in the World Championships trials have submitted their response to the show cause notices issued to them by the national federation and a decision on their fate will be taken by September 20.
Bantamweight boxer Shiva Thapa put up an impressive show against Chinese Taipei's Li Lin Yen to book his place in the quarter-finals of the Asian Championships in Amman, Jordan on Friday.
Impressed by India's performance at the Doha International Tournament, Aussie boxers want exchange programme with India, claims coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu
Determined to keep the Olympic dream alive despite the long-standing administrative mess, a spirited Indian boxing team, featuring the likes of M C Mary Kom and Shiva Thapa, will take off on Monday night for the Asian Qualifiers in Qian'an City, China. Ten men and three women form the 13-strong team which will be in action from March 25. In the men's competition, only the top three boxers in each weight category will make the Olympic cut with the third spot decided via a box-off between the two bronze-medallists. In the women's draw, only the gold and silver medal winners will qualify for Rio de Janeiro. In the absence of a recognised federation, the Indians will once again compete under the flag of the International Boxing Association (AIBA). "It is going to be a very tough tournament because not many from the Asian region qualified during last year's World Championships. I am expecting around 30 countries and more than 250 boxers to be there at this event," national coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu told PTI ahead of the team's departure.
The selection of the Indian team for the World Boxing Championships has run into a controversy with three pugilists, including Arjuna awardee Dinesh Kumar, threatening to take the panel to court even as Olympian Akhil Kumar vowed to sue one of them for dragging his name into the furore.
Furious with the three boxers who alleged that trials for the upcoming World Championships were manipulated, Indian Boxing Federation President Abhishek Matoria, said on Friday, disciplinary action will be taken against them if they fail to prove their charges.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Monday
Vijender Singh (75kg) turned in a solid showing despite being down with viral fever to beat Sweden's Hampus Henriksson in his opening bout at the World Championships in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on Thursday.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Monday
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Saturday
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Sunday
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Wednesday
The boxers hardly broke a sweat while scooping all the seven gold medals up for grabs, while the shooters ended their campaign with an outstanding tally of 25 gold medals to ensure India's reign at the top remained unchecked in the 12th South Asian Games in Guwahati on Monday. On the penultimate day of competition, the Indian was perched at the top with 289 medals (173 gold, 86 silver and 30 bronze).
Long-distance runner Kavita Raut's Olympic qualification was the icing on the cake on yet another impressive day for India at the 12th South Asian Games, in Guwahati, on Friday. Firmly entrenched atop the overall standings, India increased their medal tally to 248 -- including 146 gold, 79 silver and 23 bronze.
India Test regulars like Cheteswar Pujara and Ishant Sharma have also thrown their hat into the ring with base prices of Rs 50 and Rs 75 lakh respectively.
Talking extensively to Rediff.com's Laxmi Negi before flying out for the Asian Games, Mary gets candid about the life-changing Bollywood biopic Mary Kom, missing out on the Commonweath Games berth, her fight with the Sports Authority of India and what drives her to be the best inside the squared rope.
Away from the cricket field, it was a year in which Sania Mirza was unarguably the biggest success story with her staggering 10 titles on the Tour -- two of them Grand Slams.
© 2026 Rediff.com - Investor Information - Advertise with us - Disclaimer - Privacy Policy - Sitemap - Feedback - About us - Terms of use - Grievances