The Gujarat Giants turned back the Final of the Big Bout Boxing League defeating the Punjab Panthers 4-3 and became the first champion
The Gujarat Giants was the best franchise in the Group Stage of the Indian Big Bout Boxing League and their boxers have done an amazing job also in the Knockout part. Their final opponent the Punjab Panthers started the match better but Gujarat Giants returned twice after the dangerous moments and won their encounter 4-3 becoming the first champion.
The Big Bout was the official name of the Indian Boxing League which became the new program of the Boxing Federation of India. The competition had similar form as the previous World Series of Boxing which was one of the last important Asian events in the busy year of 2019 just ahead of the Olympic Qualifiers.
Boxing Federation of India covered all costs for the boxers including flight tickets, accommodation, meals and local transportation, furthermore strong money prizes for the boxers. The competition period of the League was from December 2 until December 21 which was open for top foreign boxers as well including such stars as Uzbekistan’s Youth Olympic Games winner Abdumalik Khalokov and Colombia’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games bronze medallist Ingrit Valencia.
Darshana Doot is Punjab’s flyweight (51kg) boxer who delivered her best performance just in the Final of the Big Bout and defeated Gujarat Giants’ Rajesh Narwal in a hectic contest. The next Punjab Panther, Youth Olympic Games winner and AIBA Youth World Champion Abdumalik Khalakov is the biggest talent in the globe among the boxers who were born in 2000. The 19-year-old Uzbek bantamweight (57kg) boxer used his best rhythm to beat Gujarat Giants’ World Military Games bronze medallist Chirag.
ASBC Asian Youth Boxing Championships silver medallist Ashish Kulhriya saved the Gujarat Giants with his success on the third match of the finals and defeated two-time Olympian veteran Manoj Kumar at the welterweight (69kg). AIBA World Boxing Championships silver medallist Amit Panghal has done perfect job in the Big Bout achieving his fifth success which was the key one against Punjab’s Polipalli Lalitha Prasad equalizing the encounter 2-2 after four bouts.
A top Indian female boxer, Astana 2016 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships silver medallist Sonia Lather Singh returned to the business in top shape after a few unexpected losses. The 27-year-old boxer moved up to the lightweight (60kg) and defeated India’s former AIBA Women’s World Champion Sarita Devi Laishram in a superb fight which was 3-2 in the favour of Lather and the Punjab Panthers.
The Gujarat Giants were in trouble after five bouts when the Punjab Panthers led 3-2 but their two remaining boxers turned back the match. Scotland’s former AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships silver medallist Scott Forrest defeated Punjab’s Naveen Kumar in the important heavyweight (91kg) fight of the night. Gujarat’s final success was taken by Ashish Kumar who did not give any chance to Yashpal in the men’s middleweight (75kg).
Final Results
Gujarat Giants vs. Punjab Panthers 4-3
Women’s 51kg: Darshana Doot (Punjab) defeated Rajesh Narwal (Gujarat)
Men’s 57kg: Abdumalik Khalakov (Punjab) defeated Chirag (Gujarat)
Men’s 69kg: Ashish Kulhriya (Gujarat) defeated Manoj Kumar (Punjab)
Men’s 52kg: Amit Panghal (Gujarat) defeated Polipalli Lalitha Prasad (Punjab)
Women’s 60kg: Sonia Lather Singh (Punjab) defeated Sarita Devi Laishram (Gujarat)
Men’s 91kg: Scott Forrest (Gujarat, SCO) defeated Naveen Kumar (Punjab)
Men’s 75kg: Ashish Kumar (Gujarat) defeated Yashpal (Punjab)
Don’t forget you can keep up with all of the action, news, results and photos by following ASBC on Facebook and Instagram.
ASBC website: www.asbcnews.org
ASBC Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ASBC.Boxing/
ASBC Instagram page: https://www.instagram.com/asbc_official/