Sudhanshu Shekhar
Indian boxers Anamika, Anupama, and Govind Kumar Sahani have returned from the Strandja Memorial Tournament with silver medals after going down in their respective final-round bouts on Sunday. The Indian boxers put up a tough fight but ultimately lost to their opponents in close matches.
Anamika, the reigning national champion, lost to China’s Hu Meiyi in the lightweight final by a 1-4 split verdict. Anupama was beaten by Australian Emma Sue Greentree in a technically superior bout, losing by a 0-5 unanimous verdict. Govind Kumar Sahani also lost by a similar margin against Shodiyorjon Melikuziev of Uzbekistan in a messy and ugly bout that went down to the wire.
Despite the losses, Indian boxers have returned home with a haul of eight medals, including three silver and five bronze. Sahani’s bout against Melikuziev was marked by a lot of body blows and clinching, with both boxers trying to outdo each other. Sahani used his speed and fast punches but played with his guard down, which gave easy access to his opponent. While attacking, Sahani threw a lot of punches but wasn’t able to land as many as he would have liked to, which tilted the result in Melikuziev’s favour.
Anamika started aggressively against Meiyi but the Chinese boxer defended well, moving around the ring to take the first round by a unanimous verdict. The second round saw a lot of body-clinching as Anamika started to find her footing, but it wasn’t enough to turn the tide in her favour.
Despite the losses, the Indian boxers put up a great fight and showcased their skill and determination in the tournament. Their performance has been a source of inspiration and motivation for Indian boxers and fans alike. The Strandja Memorial Tournament has been an excellent opportunity for Indian boxers to test their skills against some of the best boxers in the world and gain valuable experience that they can use in future tournaments.
