SHILLONG: The first ever boxing competition for women in the South Asian Games seems to be headed for some exciting contests with known names battling it out for top honours in the event.
Anusha Kodituwakku, Sri Lanka’s most successful woman boxer has already thrown a challenge to Olympian MC Mary Kom in the fly weight category.
During a practice session at the indoor hall at NEHU, Anusha, the Asian Championships gold medalist, said that she is more experienced now and was ready to challenge the five-time world boxing championship winner Mary Kom.
MC Mary Kom, who will compete in the 51Kg category is all set to lead the elite Indian women’s team which has L Sarita Devi (60kg) and Popja Rani Bohra (75kg) are the other two female boxers named in the squad.
A confident Anusha felt that she stood a good chance to beat Mary Kom this time round if the two were to face each other at any stage in the event.
Anusha was also a quarter-finalist at the 2010 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships and achieved several medals in the international competitions.
Meanwhile, the Lankan team coach, Harsha Kumara was also confident of his side’s prospects in the 12th South Asian Games.
He too backed Anusha to clinch gold in what would be her first SAG appearance.
