Mixed day for Indian pugilists: 3 make it to quarters, two lose

Melbourne, Mar 20 (UNI) Indian pugilists had a mixed day today as three of them advanced to the quarterfinals while two fell by the wayside in at the Comonwealth Games here today.

The day started on a positive note for the Indians with Akhil Kumar securing an emphatic win over Atanas Mugerwa of Uganda in the 54 kg to sail into the quarterfinals.

The 25-year-old Railway boxer thrashed his rival and led in three rounds before referee intervened to stop the contest as Mugerwa was unable to stand the pounding by the Indian.

In the 57 kg category, 22-year-old Diwakar Prasad hammered M Coriakula of Fiji and led in two rounds but this bout was also stopped by the referee as Prasad's powerful punches and blows rattled the Fijian who started running and avoiding contact with his rival.

The Fijian heaved a sigh of relief when the referee stopped the contest.

In the 51kg bout, Railway's Jitender Kumar, who is also the national champion, displayed superb technique and tactics while thrashing Lesotho's Meshack Letsoepa.

In the first round, Meshack fought on equal terms and shared 4-4 ponts but after that, the Indian unleashed such a flurry of punches, blows and jabs that shattered Meshack's defence and resistance.

Jitender won 26-12 (4-4, 9-3, 5-1 and 8-4) in the four round.

However, in the late evening bouts India suffered two reverses when Jai Bhagwan and Parvinder Singh lost their games.

Ghana's F R Gavin proved too strong for Jai Bhagwan as he beat the Indian convincingly 20-8 on points. Jai Bhagwan was slow in his attack and his defence was open and vulnerable and the Ghana boxer took advantage of that as he landed punches with telling effect which rattled the Indian and he caved in.

Twenty two-year old Parvinder Singh was unlucky to have lost to Cameroon's Emmanuel Charles Njock by a solitray point in a hotly contested bout.

Charles collected the maximum points in his first round in which Parvindser took time to settle down and though the Indian tried to make up with some determined fighting, it proved too late if not too little.

Charles emerged winner 16-15. Parvinder's four round score was 3-9,4-3,7-4,2-1.

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