World Boxing Championships: Neeraj Phogat digs deep, Sumit Kundu stamps authority to reach pre-quarters

A chance encounter with boxing during a college visit by an army coach sowed the seeds of a dream that would eventually take her to the world stage. Though her roots belong to the celebrated Phogat clan — famed for wrestling — Neeraj Phogat chose a different ring, trading wrestling mats for boxing gloves.On Friday, at the M&S Bank Arena in Liverpool, England, Neeraj’s fighting spirit was on full display. Her Round of 32 clash at the ongoing World Boxing Championships against Finland’s Krista Kovalainen in the 65kg category tested every ounce of her resolve. From the opening bell, it was clear this would be no easy passage. Krista came out firing, matching Neeraj punch for punch and pushing her deep into the trenches in every round.

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Neeraj’s movement, honed by years of defensive training, was swift and evasive, yet it was her counter-punching and never-say-die attitude that kept her in the fight. By the third round, fatigue threatened to set in, but Neeraj dug deep, landing decisive blows that swung the contest in her favour.When the verdict was announced — 3:2 split decision for Neeraj — there was relief for the 31-year-old, who hails from Jhinjhar village in Haryana’s Charkhi Dadri district.

If Neeraj’s story is one of resilience, Sumit Kundu’s is a saga of reinvention in the face of adversity. The middleweight (75kg) boxer from Dhakal village in Haryana’s Jind district lost his father as a child. His mother stitched the family together through odd tailoring jobs. Economic hardship forced Sumit to take on a security guard’s job at a school, almost ending his boxing ambitions before they truly began.But, the fighting spirit that defines champions stayed strong.

That tenacity was on display on Friday as 22-year-old Sumit entered his Round of 32 bout against Jordan’s Mohammad Alhussien with determination, exuding calm control throughout the three rounds. Right from the first bell, he showed why he is being regarded as a medal contender — his footwork, sharp jabs and tactical awareness keeping his opponent perpetually off-balance.

Mohammad tried to launch attacks, but Sumit’s defence was impenetrable.

He dominated all three rounds with beautifully timed combinations, refusing to yield ground or momentum. The judges — reflecting the absolute difference in quality — gave Sumit a 5:0 unanimous decision. It was a statement of intent from the Indian boxer.With their respective wins, both Sumit and Neeraj advanced to the pre-quarterfinals.Army man Sumit will now face a stiff challenge against reigning European champion and Paris Olympian Rami Kiwan of Bulgaria, who received a first-round bye.

Neeraj will take on England’s Sacha Hickey, who is a European U23 gold medallist.In the night session on Thursday, Sanamacha Chanu powered into the women’s 70kg pre-quarterfinals with a 4-1 win over Denmark’s Ditte Frostholm.Using her height to close the distance, Sanamacha landed a series of heavy blows that unsettled her experienced opponent. The Manipuri boxer will next face World Boxing Cup gold medallist Natalya Bogdanova of Kazakhstan.It was disappointment, however, for heavyweight boxer Harsh Choudhary, who exited in the first round of the men’s 90kg after suffering a referee-stopped contest (RSC) defeat against Poland’s Tutak Adams.