Manish puts up dominating show at Boxing Nationals

Pune  : The 2018 Commonwealth Games silver medallist Manish Kaushik proved his superiority by making an easy progress into the next round of the elite mens National Boxing Championships at the AIS rings here on Monday.

In the lightweight category (60 kg), the Services boxer defeated Kongkong Hongrang from Arunachal Pradesh, winning the bout on points during the morning session. 

Manish, who lost to Australian Harry Garside in the final at Gold Coast, found the Arunachal pugilist very passive but was able to land a few punches every time he got his chances in all the rounds.

Later during the afternoon session, Sachin Siwach from the Railways continued his winning ways as he knocked out Mansoor Ahmed of Chandigarh in the third round fly weight category (52 kg).

The 19-year-old from the Haryana, living up to his expectations, traded punches on his Chandigarh rival, sending him to the ropes and forcing the referee for a standing count.

Manaoor, at the receiving end from the beginning, managed to ward off the early threat and lasted more than two rounds.

However, in the third round a straight punch from the former world youth champion sent the Chandigarh pugilist staggering. Unable to withstand the knockout blow, Mansoor could not get ready for the bout as the referee counted him out. 

But it was the fly weight bout between Tamil Nadu's Shanuga Priyan and Manipur's Ranbir Singh Moirangthem that aroused more interest as the former knocked out the Manipuri pugilist in the first round itself. The bout hardly lasted 90 seconds.

In a third knockout in the same category, Andhra Pradesh's RajuPedda Appala sent his Andaman & Nicobar opponent, Krushanvir Singh, home with the decision coming in the third round. 

But favourites R.L. Prasad of the SSCB continuing his sublime form, handed out yet another 5:0 decision to his Arunachal opponent, Potom Kogam in 52 kg bout, ensuring his progress to the next round. 

The SSCB boxer was slow to begin with but went on to land some combination punches which fetched him quick points in the second round. 

Having a sizeable lead, he upped the ante in the third to round off the score for another triumph.

There were as many as nine RSC decisions in middle and heavy weight categories, including Punjab's Sanjeet Singh Gill forcing the referee stop contest in the first round against Bihar's Mohit Kumar. 

The bout in 81 kg (light heavy) between Delhi's Rahul Rathi and Ajay from Karnataka went up to the third round before the referee's interference in favour of the Delhi pugilist.