Vikas Krishan Yadav returned with a success at the South Asian Games where Nepal’s favourite Sushil Thapa Magar also started strongly
The first competition day of the 13th edition of the South Asian Games was held in the capital city of Nepal in Kathmandu which is a parallel event with the Southeast Asian Games. India’s two-time Olympian star Vikas Krishan Yadav returned with excellent performance in Kathmandu where Nepal’s No.1 Sushil Thapa Magar also opened in style.
Altogether 24 female and 49 male boxers will be attending in the multisport event in Kathmandu. Nepal hosted the South Asian Games in Kathmandu in 1999 and after 20 years of break the event returned to their capital city. The last edition of the South Asian Games was held in Shillong, India on February 2016.
India is the boxing power in the South Asian region and some of their stars are involved to attend in the Games, but Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bhutan, host Nepal and Bangladesh also have experienced hopes. The boxing tournament of the South Asian Games is scheduled in six female and ten men’s weight classes in Kathmandu.
India dominated the opening female fights in Kathmandu
India’s female light flyweight (48kg) boxer Srinivasan Kalaivani received the right at the very first time to attend in such a big international event as the South Asian Games. The Indian Open International Tournament bronze medallist 20-year-old youngster spent only short time in the ring against Pakistan’s Rabia Batool and the referee confirmed her RSC success in the first round. India’s second female success was delivered by Astana 2016 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships silver medallist Sonia Lather Singh who stopped Bangladesh’s best woman boxer Shamima Akhter.
Nepal’s top male boxer Sushil Thapa Magar controlled his first fight on home soil
Nepal’s best male boxer Sushil Thapa Magar has got gold medal chance in the South Asian Games who started strongly against Sri Lanka’s Sajeewa Nuwan defeating his opponent unanimously in the front of the home crowd. In another men’s light flyweight (49kg) bout Bangladesh’s Mohamed Sojib Hossain shocked Pakistan’s National Games winner Muhammad Dawood Khan with his tough punches. The younger Bangladeshi boxer continued his excellent performance until the end of the fight and also secured his place in the semi-finals of the Games.
Pakistan’s duo Syed Muhammad Asif and Naqeeb Ullah have done great debuts
Pakistan sent several internationally experienced boxers to the South Asian Games and their flyweight (52kg) No.1 Syed Muhammad Asif has done a strong debut. The 26-year-old boxer competed in the recent editions of the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and other top events therefore he could use the best tactic against Bangladesh’s Mohamed Ariful Islam. Pakistan’s second excellent success was delivered by Naqeeb Ullah at the bantamweight (56kg) who defeated Sri Lanka’s Udagedara Nuwan Kumara Amarawansha.
India’s Manish Kaushik and returning Vikas Krishan Yadav demonstrated their strengths in Kathmandu
India’s Manish Kaushik claimed bronze medal in the Yekaterinburg 2019 AIBA World Boxing Championships and he worked well in his opening bout against Pakistan’s Suleman Baloch who is only 22 but has got also enough international experiences. The final verdict was unanimous decision in the favour of Kaushik who advanced to the semi-finals of the men’s light welterweight (64kg). India’s two-time Olympian boxer Vikas Krishan Yadav returned after a short break and competes at the welterweight (69kg) in Kathmandu where he was too strong for Bhutan’s Tshering Dorji.
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