Asian Boxing Championships 2022: India's Shiva Thapa scripts history, assures the sixth medal

Shiv Thapa added a historic 6th Asian Boxing Championships 2022 medal to his belt with a resounding victory over South Korea's Minsu Choi in the 63.5kg category quarter-finals in Amman, Jordan on Sunday.

Also read: Asian Boxing Championships 2022: India's Lovlina Borgohain confirms medal by reaching semi-finals

Thapa started the match effectively, using his sharp legs and powerful jabs to take control of his opponent. After that, as the game progressed, the Indian boxer increased his attacking dominance and kept Choi on the ropes for most of the match. The match ended with a 4:1 victory for Thapa. He has now become the most successful male boxer at the Asian Championships, with 6 tournament medals to his name.

Meanwhile, earlier in the day, Mohammad Hussamuddin and Govind Kumar Sahani advanced to the semifinal as well. Two-time Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Hussamuddin (57kg) was up against  Haengseok Lee of South Korea in the quarterfinals. The South Korean started on the front foot in the first round. He landed clean punches and kept his counterpart at bay for the majority of the first round.

With the prospect of an upset, the Indian boxer used his experience to make an inspired comeback and ruled out any such possibility. Hussamuddin was all out in the next two rounds and won 5–0 by consensus. While Govind (48kg) faced Kuwait's Mansour Khalifa in his opening match of the tournament. The 2022 Thailand Open gold medalist defeated his opponent 5-0 to reach the semi-finals.

Also read: Asian Squash Team Championships 2022: India Men's Squash Team created history by winning gold for the first time

Earlier, Minakshi (women's 52kg), Preeti (women's 57kg), Parveen (women's 63kg), Ankushita Boro (women's 66kg), and Lovlina Borgohain (women's 75kg) guaranteed medals for the country on Saturday at the Asian Boxing Championships 2022. Saweety Boora (women's 81kg) and Alfiya Pathan (women's +81kg) will start their campaign from the semi-finals. They are already confident of at least a bronze medal.

However, Ananta Chopade (men's 54kg) bowed out of the competition after suffering a 4-0 defeat against Seidekmatov Sanzhai of Kyrgyzstan. Amit Kumar (men's 67kg) lost to Uzbekistan's Muydinkhujaev Asadkhuja in a similar fashion.