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.
Just one win away from winning an Olympic medal after a comprehensive victory over his opponent in his pre-quarterfinal bout, Indian boxer Vikas Krishan says he wants nothing less than a gold in the Rio Games.
Six-time World Champion Mary Kom, bronze medallist at the 2012 London Olympics, will be assisted by luger Shiva Keshavan, who has been appointed the deputy chef de mission.
The Indian women boxing team won two silver and three bronze medals at the Ahmet Comert Cup Boxing Tournament.
Check out how India's athletes fared on Day 8, Saturday, August 3, 2024:
Asian Games bronze-medallist Satish Kumar (+91kg) and Sumit Sangwan (81kg) notched up facile wins to enter the second round of the International Boxing Association's World Olympic Qualification tournament in Baku.
Tennis duo Leander Paes and Mahesh Bhupathi will have added responsibility to return with an Olympic medal from Beijing, especially after the Indian Olympic Association accommodated extra support staff for them, a favour that eluded boxer Akhil Kumar.
'It is gruelling but I am enjoying the grind. My body hasn't felt better'
Shiva, a World Championships bronze-medallist and a two-time medallist at the Asian meet, edged past Kyrgyzstan's Omurbek Malabekov in a split verdict to make the last-eight stage, where he will face Chinese Taipei's Chu-En Lai in the quarterfinals on Wednesday.
The 25-year-old boxer from Telangana thrashed Thailand's Jitpong Jutamas without breaking a sweat in the 52kg final with the judges scoring the bout 30-27, 29-28, 29-28, 30-27, 29-28 in Nikhat's favour.
Indian women boxers made a resounding start at the third Indoor Asian Games with L Sarita Devi (54kg) and N Usha (57kg) advancing to the medal rounds of the event with thumping wins in their respective quarterfinal bouts in Hanoi, Vietnam, on Saturday.
Beijing Olympics quarter-finalist Jitender Kumar and former women's world champion Lekha K C are among the three pugilists recommended by the Indian Boxing Federation for this year's Arjuna awards.
'I dedicate this medal to my country for praying for me, for supporting me. My coaches, federation, my sponsors, they have also helped me a lot.
Bhagwan has been on unpaid leave for the last three years to train Nitu, a two-time World Youth champion.
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Saturday
India's Manoj Kumar bowed out of the Olympic Games in controversial manner after he went down to Great Britain's George Stalker in men's light welterweight (64) kg category.
Indian pugilist Manoj Kumar made it to the last 16 in the men's Light-welter (64kg) division at the London Games, beating Serdar Hudayberdiyev (Turkmenistan) late on Tuesday night. The Haryana boxer won 13-7. He will meet world No 1 and third seed Tom Stalker of Great Britain next.
Jeswin Aldrin, who had already qualified for the championships, however missed the cut.
Inspired by Mike Tyson and Mohammad Ali, eight Indian junior boxers made quite an impression in their maiden international assignment, clinching a couple of gold, a silver and a bronze medal at the 25th Ahmed Comert Cup in Istanbul, Turkey.
Ace Indian boxer Shiva Thapa began his Commonwealth Games campaign on a rousing note by defeating Pakistan's Suleman Baloch in the first round of the 63.5kg category, in Birmingham, on Friday.
The IABF disciplinary committee found the three who tested positive at the National Games "prima facie guilty".
Having modelled the aggressive style of former heavyweight champion Mike Tyson to claim an Olympic berth, Indian boxer Devendro Singh knows curbing those attacking instincts is the only way to achieve his dream of a medal at the London Games.
'Vinesh you are a gold medalist of courage and morality.'
Borgohain (69kg) signed off with a bronze medal in the Olympic Games after a comprehensive 0-5 loss to reigning world champion Busenaz Surmeneli.
Hussamudin, who was competing in his debut World Championships, was scheduled to face Cuba's Saidel Horta in the last four clash.
A look at the few bright spots, the many worries, and moments that made for a distinctly indelible 2020.
The Indian franchise in the World Series of Boxing (WSB) is struggling to rope in pugilists employed with the Indian Army as the department is refusing to give them permission to compete in the professional-style event.
Several athletes, including the hockey men's and women's teams of India, took part in the flag-hoisting ceremony at the CWG Village on Thursday.
Tokyo Olympian and 2019 Asian Championships silver medallist Ashish Chaudhary will also be representing the country for the second time and would be keen to add another major medal to his name.
Five-time world champion Mary Kom, returning to the ring after recovering from some niggles that kept her out of the Asian Games, prevailed 5-0 against Kazakhstan's Aigerim Kassanayeva to pick up India's lone senior category gold at the event on Saturday.
An American ended his Olympic dream in 2012 amid controversial circumstances and Vikas Krishan will have redemption on mind when he takes on another American Charles Conwell in his opening bout to kick off India's boxing campaign in the Olympic Games, in Rio de Janeiro, on Tuesday.
Vikas Krishan returned to amateur fold in December last and having qualified for the Tokyo Games, will head back to the pro circuit in the USA, most likely next month.
Manish defeated Denmark's Nikolai Terteryan in a split decision.
In the wake of the ongoing enquiry by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) against two doctors who were sent by the Indian Olympic Association (IOA) to the Rio Olympics, Indian boxer and Rajya Sabah Member of Parliament Mary Kom on Sunday said that those who are not qualified should not be sent for competitions.
India's boxer L Sarita Devi's career could be finished after her 'unacceptable' behaviour at the Incheon Asian Games where the fighter refused to accept her bronze medal on the podium, the president of the governing AIBA said on Wednesday.
The Indian Boxing Federation might be in trouble following its termination by the International Boxing Association (AIBA), but Sports Minister Jitendra Singh assured the boxers that their training would not suffer and would be provided with all the required facilities.
The Haryana-boxer went down 1-4 to the second-seeded local favourite in the first final of the day.
As boxer Nikhat Zareen prepares to head to her first World Championships in the 51 kg category, she feels she has plenty in her armoury to go the distance.
Having done the country proud with her bronze medal-winning feat at the London Olympics, M C Mary Kom declared that training under foreign coaches will be beneficial to the country's women boxers.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Sunday
