Lovlina Borgohain (69kg), Jamuna Boro (54kg) stun opponents 5-0 to join compatriots Mary Kom, Manju Rani and Kavita Chahal in quarter-finals
India's Lovlina Borgohain (right) punches Oumayma Bel Ahbib during their 69kg pre-quarterfinal bout at the World Championships in Russia. Pic/ PTI
Ulan-Ude (Russia): Last edition's bronze-winner Lovlina Borgohain (69kg) and debutant Jamuna Boro (54kg) marched into the quarter-finals of the World Women's Boxing Championships with comprehensive victories in the pre-quarters here yesterday. Boro outpunched fifth-seeded Algerian Ouidad Sfouh, an African Games gold-medallist, in a unanimous verdict, while the third-seeded Borgohain got the better of a sprightly opponent in Morocco's Oumayma Bel Ahbib, also a 5-0 win.
In the quarter-finals today, Boro will take on Germany's Ursula Gottlob, who upstaged European Championship bronze-medallist and fourth seed Yuliya Apanasovich of Belarus in her pre-quarterfinal bout in a split 3-2 verdict. The referee mistakenly raised Apanasovich's hand at the end of the fight but later corrected himself. Next up for Borgohain is sixth-seeded Karolina Koszewska, who defeated Uzbekistan's Shakhnoza Yunusova. Poland's Koszewska had claimed a gold medal at this year's European Games.
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Boro opened the proceedings for India and the Assam Rifles' employee, 22, was slow off the blocks. However, she became the dominating aggressor as the bout progressed. During an engaging battle in the second and third round, it was Boro who made a better impression with her cleanly-struck straight punches. The third round belonged entirely to Boro with Sfouh coming short for most part.
India's Jamuna Boro (left) attacks Algeria's Ouidad Sfouh during their 54kg category pre-quarterfinal in Russia yesterday. Pic/PTI
The Assamese, whose mother worked as a vegetable seller to financially support her sporting aspirations, is a gold-winner from this year's India Open. She was a bronze-medallist at the 2015 Youth World Championships."I was a bit confused to start with but then I figured how to push her and managed to pull off a victory," Boro said.
In all, five Indians have made the quarterfinals of the mega-event. Six-time champion MC Mary Kom (51kg), Manju Rani (48kg) and Kavita Chahal (+81kg) are the other Indians to have made the Last 8 stage. Chahal is yet to take the ring and has got direct entry into the quarters thanks to the small size of the draw in her weight category.
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