New Delhi, April 2: Indian boxer Jadumani Singh Mandengbam punched his way into the 50kg semifinals but three others made opening round exits from the World Boxing Cup in in Foz do Iguacu, Brazil.
The 20-year-old reigning national champion edged past last year’s World Boxing Cup silver medallist Ellis Trowbridge of Great Britain with a hard-fought 3-2 split decision win in the 50kg quarterfinals late Tuesday night. He will now face former Asian U-22 champion Asilbek Jalilov of Uzbekistan in the semifinals.
Meanwhile, Asian Games medallist Narender Berwal (+90kg), Nikhil Dubey (75kg), and Jugnoo (85kg) bowed out of the tournament after quarterfinal defeats.
Narender, a bronze medallist at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games, put up a strong fight against Kazakhstan’s Saparbay Daniyal but lost 2-3 in a close contest despite winning unanimously on the first board.
Nikhil suffered a 0-5 loss to local favourite Kaue Belini, while Jugnoo was on the wrong end of a 1-4 split decision against France’s Abdoulaye Traore.
India’s campaign continues on Wednesday with Manish Rathore (55kg) set to face Yusulf Chothia of Australia, Hitesh (70kg) taking on Italy’s Gabriele Guidi Rontani, and Abhinash Jamwal (65kg) up against Germany’s Denis Bril.
India has fielded a 10-member men’s squad in the tournament, with Lakshya Chahar (80kg) exiting on the opening day. (PTI)