Meenakshi, Sakshi, Pooja Rani, Hitesh and Jugnoo book final berths with dominant display at World Boxing Cup

Astana, July 6 (IANS) India’s boxing contingent at the World Boxing Cup – Astana, Kazakhstan 2025 will be vying for at least six gold medals on the final day on Sunday after Meenakshi (women’s 48kg), Sakshi (women’s 54kg), Pooja Rani (women’s 80kg), Hitesh Gulia (men’s 70kg) and Jugnoo (men’s 85kg) registered convincing victories to reach the finals of their respective weight categories on Saturday.

India are assured of 11 medals from Astana with Abhinash Jamwal (men’s 65kg) still in the hunt for a spot in the final later in the day.

Meenakshi started India’s march on Saturday with an aggressive display to beat Nurselen Yalgettekin of Turkey 5:0 in the 48kg semi-final. Sakshi then displayed her prowess, landing punches regularly to dominate Feruza Kazakova of Uzbekistan and reached the final of the 54kg weight category by an identical margin.

Olympian Pooja Rani then staved off the late charge from Elif Guneri of Turkey in the 80kg category to reach the final with a 3:2 verdict. Nupur had already sealed her final berth in the 80+ category on Friday, making it four Indian women boxers in the finals.

Sanju (60kg) was the other Indian women’s semi-finalist in action on Saturday. Though she did put her best foot forward against Viktoriya Grafeyeva of Kazakhstan, the Indian ended on the wrong side of the 0:5 verdict and will have to bring home a bronze medal.

India had clinched a total of six medals in the first leg of the World Boxing Cup in Brazil earlier this year with only the men boxers competing in that leg.

This is the first time that the women pugilists have got an opportunity to showcase their skills at the World Boxing Cup stage and they have grabbed it with both hands.

Brazil leg gold medallist Hitesh Gulia looked in trouble after the first round against France’s Makan Traore but the 20-year-old landed quite a few punches in the second round to close the gap and then wrapped up the semi-final with yet another convincing display in the third and final round to reach the final.

Jugnoo then added to the celebratory mood in the Indian camp with a 5:0 thumping of England’s Teagn Scott.

--IANS

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