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The Times of India
The Times of India
Sport
Hindol Basu | TNN

CWG 2022: Medal rush continues as Sagar Ahlawat joins Amit Panghal, Jaismine Lamboria in boxing semifinals

BIRMINGHAM: Remember Amit Panghal at last year's Tokyo Olympics, when he just froze in the ring against Colombian boxer Yubrejen Martinez?

More recently, remember Tokyo medallist Lovlina Borgohain and her 'meltdown' on Wednesday, after all the controversy of demanding to include her personal coach in the boxing squad?

All that was shoved aside by 'Fast Hands' Panghal on Thursday, when he ensured a medal for himself with a fine demolition job of Lennon Mulligan of Scotland in the 51kg men's flyweight quarterfinal. The 5-feet 2-inch Indian won a decisive 5-0, dominating all three rounds.

Using his experience, Panghal tired his younger opponent out with some solid defensive play. Points were mainly gained with the occasional counter attack. In the opening two rounds, Panghal employed a guard-down approach and invited Mulligan for the offensive, but managed to sway away from his opponent with some nimble footwork.

In between, the 26-year-old Indian landed a couple of left jabs to rattle the 20-year-old Scot. In the final round, Amit unleashed a barrage of 'one-two' combinations (jab followed by a cross) to make it a done deal. "He talks very less after the Tokyo Olympics," Panghal's uncle Rajnarayan Panghal, who is accompanying him in Birmingham, told TOI after the bout.

"This (CWG) stage might be easy for him, but he is looking at the bigger picture. You know what the bigger picture is," Rajnarayan said referring to the Asian Games and Paris Olympics. The win over Mulligan might have assured a bronze, but there is more at stake.

Panghal had won silver at the 2018 CWG in Gold Coast, losing to British boxer Galal Yafai. In the semifinals here, he will face Patrick Chinyemba of Zambia. The clash won't be easy as Chinyemba entered the last four with a knockout win against Alex Winwood of Australia.

Sagar Ahlawat, who hails from Dhandlan village in Haryana's Jhajjar, continued India's march in boxing with a commanding win over Keddy Evans Agnes of Seychelles in the 92+kg. The 22-year-old prevailed 5-0 on points in the super heavyweight quarterfinal to make it to the semis.

Among the women, Jaismine Lamboria assured a medal after winning 4-1 by split verdict over New Zealand's Troy Garton in the 60kg lightweight quarterfinal. The 20-year-old Jaismine comes from a family of boxers. Her great grandfather, the legendary Captain Hawa Singh, is a boxing legend in India, being the only Indian to win consecutive Asian Games gold medals (1966 and 1970).

On Wednesday, Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Nitu Ganghas (48kg) and Mohammad Hussamuddin (57kg) were also assured of medals after reaching the last-four stage in their weight categories.

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