Indian boxers Shiva Thapa (64kg) and Mohammed Hussamuddin (56kg) started off on a winning note at the Asian Boxing Championships as they stormed into the quarterfinals with impressive victories in Dubai on Monday.
Commonwealth Games bronze-winner Hussamuddin (56kg) defeated Kazakhstan's Makhmud Sabyrkhan while Thapa, who is chasing a fifth successive medal at the event, won against Kyrgyzstan's Dmitri Puchinn. Both the boxers won 5-0.
Hussamuddin was locked in a grueling battle with the 19-year-old Asian youth champion as the two boxers put up an entertaining show. The Indian, however, proved to be better.
Thanks alot for your support https://t.co/akyzhc8A5W
— Hussamuddin official (@HussamBoxer1) May 24, 2021
Thapa, on the other hand, wasn't tested too much. The Kyrgyz boxer's withdrawn approach worked well as the Indian did not have to try too hard to break through his defences.
Hussamuddin's next fight will be up against reigning world and Asian Games champion Mirazizbek Mirzahalilov of Uzbekistan. Mirzahalilov is the top seed in the draw and is the defending champion as well.
As for Thapa, he will square off against Kuwait's Nader Odah, who got a first-round bye.
@shivathapa continues s winning run at 2021 ASBC Asian Elite Boxing Championships, beats's Dmitrii Puchin in 64 Kg.#PunchMeinHaiDum#boxing#AsianEliteBoxingChampionships pic.twitter.com/q1UPw9lKVv
— Boxing Federation (@BFI_official) May 24, 2021
On Tuesday, Olympic-bound Simranjit Kaur (60kg), Sakshi (54kg), Jasmine (57kg), and Sanjeet (91kg) will fight their respective last-8 stage bouts.
The event is being jointly hosted by the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) and the UAE Boxing Federation. The continental showpiece features 150 pugilists from 17 countries such as Uzbekistan, the Philippines, and Kazakhstan.
India's best-ever show at the Asian Championship was in 2019 in Bangkok where the country secured 13 medals including two gold, four silver and seven bronze.