India boxer Amit Panghal, who won a gold medal at the Jakarta Asian Games in August, revealed yesterday that he exacted revenge on Uzbekistan's Hasanboy Dusmatov to win the final. "I cried when I lost to Hasanboy in the Asian and World Championships. But those two defeats provided me with fighting spirit and I decided to get my revenge at any cost during the Asian Games," Panghal told reporters on the sidelines of the Glanbia's FitIndia conclave at a suburban hotel yesterday.

Panghal, 22, also explained how he prepared to overcome his earlier two failures against the champion boxer: "Taking into consideration the fact that he would be in my weight category at the Asian Games, I practised hard to counter him. I decided to take his left punch with my defence and counter Hasanboy with my strength." Panghal's gold medal-winning feat did not eventuate in an Arjuna Award. "I was sad [to miss out], but my coach and friends consoled me. I have taken it positively and I am working harder," he said.