Asian Boxing Elite Championships: Vishvanath Suresh stuns reigning world champ

NEW DELHI: Vishvanath Suresh produced the standout Indian performance of the day at the Asian Boxing Elite Championships in Ulaanbaatar on Saturday, defeating reigning world champion and top seed Sanzhar Tashkenbay of Kazakhstan 5-0 in the quarterfinals of the men’s 50kg division.The Chennai boxer, who has been steadily building a reputation at the senior level, boxed with authority and control against one of the most accomplished names in the field. In a contest that demanded discipline as much as aggression, Suresh stayed compact, picked his moments well and refused to be drawn into a hurried exchange.His composure under pressure and cleaner work through the three rounds earned him a unanimous decision from the judges.All five judges scored the bout 29-27 in favour of the Indian, underlining the quality of his performance against a rival who came into the contest as the No. 1 seed. The result sent Suresh into the semifinals and assured him of at least a bronze medal at the continental meet. It was a significant statement from one of India’s brightest young boxers.Suresh has made a smooth transition from the youth circuit to the elite stage, and this victory over a reigning world champion will rank among the finest wins of his career so far.

Ankushita, Narender enter semisIn the women’s 65kg category, Ankushita Boro registered a 4-1 win over Kazakhstan’s Laura Yessenkeldi to advance to the semifinals. In the men’s 90+kg quarterfinals, Narender turned in a dominant display to beat UAE’s Orkhan Aghayev 5-0 and book his place in the last four. Aditya, however, bowed out in the men’s 65kg quarterfinals.