Boxing World Qualifiers: Sachin Siwach Secures a Dominant Victory for India Over New Zealand's Alex Mukuka

Add as a preferred source on Google

New Delhi, May 24: National champion Sachin Siwach delivered a commanding performance on the opening day of the 2nd Boxing World Qualifiers for the Paris Olympics in Bangkok on Friday (May 24).

Siwach secured a decisive win against New Zealand's Alex Mukuka in the Round of 64 bout in the 57kg category.

The 2024 Strandja Memorial gold medallist took control early, dominating Mukuka from the start and maintaining relentless pressure throughout the bout. His efforts earned him a unanimous 5-0 verdict from the judges, giving the 10-member Indian contingent a strong start.

Sachin set the tone in the first round with an aggressive offensive strategy, utilizing effective left-right combinations. Mukuka's hopes for a comeback in the second round were quickly thwarted by Siwach's relentless attacks.

With the first two rounds clearly in his favour, Sachin ensured there was no room for a comeback from his opponent, sealing the victory.

India has fielded seven men and three women in these qualifiers, with all boxers needing to reach at least the semi-finals to have a chance at securing a berth for the Paris Olympics.

On Saturday (May 25), senior nationals bronze medallist Abhimanyu Loura will compete against Bulgaria's Kristiyan Nikolov in the opening round of the 80kg weight category.

Meanwhile, 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Amit Panghal (51kg) and 2022 Asian Games bronze medallist Narendra Berwal (+92kg) have received byes in the opening rounds of their respective weight categories.