Liverpool [UK], September 10 : World Boxing Cup Astana gold medallist Nupur continued her fine form to confirm India's first medal at the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool on Wednesday with a 4:1 win over Uzbekistan's Oltinoy Sotimboeva in the women's 80+kg quarterfinals.
In a tactical bout that saw both boxers receive a point penalty for excessive holding, Nupur started strong in the opening round but saw her opponent, a former World Youth silver medallist and bronze medallist in Astana, close the gap in the second.
However, the Indian stepped up her attack in the third and final round and also kept her opponent at bay to reach the semifinals. Earlier on Tuesday night, three Indian boxers booked their quarterfinal berths to get within a win of assuring a medal, according to a release.
Meenakshi (women's 48kg) hammered China's Wang Qiuping 5:0, Jadumani Singh Mandengbam (men's 50kg) defeated England's Reece Readshaw 5:0, while Abhinash Jamwal (men's 65kg) thrashed Dominican Republic's Piter Ynoa Fernando de Jesus.
Jugnoo (men's 85kg) was the only Indian boxer to suffer a loss on Tuesday night as he went down 0:5 against Scotland's Robert William McNulty in the pre-quarterfinals.
India has fielded a 20-member contingent at the inaugural World Championships being held under the aegis of World Boxing, a recently formed international governing body, and is hoping for a good showing in both men's and women's events.
Four more Indian boxers will have a chance to assure a medal later in the day, with two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen (women's 51kg), Jaismine Lamboria (women's 57kg), Pooja Rani (women's 80kg), and Jamwal (men's 65kg) set to take the ring in their respective quarter-finals.
Earlier, two-time world champion Nikhat faced a spirited fight from Japan's Yuma Nishinaka in the opening round, but there was no stopping the Indian, who is playing her first international event this year. In fact, the Japanese even received two penalty points for excessive clinching as she tried to break Nikhat's rhythm. However, Nikhat stood triumphant with a 5:0 win.
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