Thailand Open: India pugilists Naman, Anshul down Uzbek heavyweights to storm into finals

Bangkok [Thailand], May 29 : India's heavyweight boxers Naman Tanwar (90kg) and Anshul Gill (90+kg) delivered a strong statement on Thursday at the 4th Thailand Open International Boxing Tournament, securing hard-earned semifinal wins against opponents from Uzbekistan, considered to be one of the sport's most dominant nations in the heavier weight categories.

Naman overcame Juraboev Elyorbek 4:1, while Anshul edged past Rustamov Abdurakhmon 3:2 in two tightly contested bouts. Both Indians started on the back foot, but responded with greater control and sharper execution in the second round.

In the final round, the duo took charge in their respective clashes with well-timed counters and sustained pressure, earning split-decision victories and booking their places in the finals, which will take place on June 1.

In the women's semifinals, Tamanna (51kg), Priya (57kg), and Lalfakmawii (80kg) exited the competition after battling through competitive bouts, each settling for a bronze.

Earlier in the tournament, Anshul delivered a strong performance against Kazakhstan's Daniyal Saparbay, also winning by unanimous decision.

Anshul kept a steady rhythm from the start, combining tight defence with effective counters to keep the Kazakh boxer at bay.

On the other hand, en route to the semi-finals,Tamanna put in a composed performance to beat Liu Yu-Shan of Chinese Taipei by unanimous decision. Priya (57 kg) followed it up with a confident 5-0 win over South Korea's Park Ah-hyun, controlling the bout from start to finish.

Sanju notched her second straight win of the tournament with a clean 5-0 verdict over Indonesia's Reka Mariana Kasibulan in the quarterfinal bout.

The National Games bronze medalist maintained control throughout the three rounds, staying composed and showing clear technical superiority to outbox her opponent and secure a place in the last four.

India has fielded a 19-member strong contingent in the prestigious boxing tournament, held under the aegis of World Boxing-backed Asian Boxing, that has attracted talented boxers from powerhouses like China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, South Korea, and host Thailand.

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