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Boxing, Olympic qualifiers: Deepak Bhoria and Narender Berwal go down fighting on opening day

Indian pugilists; Deepak Bhoria and Narender Berwal crashed out of the Boxing Olympic qualifiers on the opening day.

By Soumya | Mar 4, 2024 | 2 Min Read

India began its campaign on a disappointing note with World Championships bronze medallist Deepak Bhoria (51kg) and Asian Games bronze medallist Narender Berwal (+92kg) losing their respective round of 64 bouts in the first World Olympic boxing qualifier at the E-Work Arena in Busto Arsizio, Italy, on Sunday. Bhoria exited after suffering a narrow 3-2 defeat to two-time European under-22 champion Nijat Huseynov of Azerbaijan.

In a closely fought contest, Huseynov used his pace and swift movement to take the first two rounds with an identical 3-2 margin. Bhoria went all out to secure a 4-1 verdict in the third, but it was too little too late.

Later, Berwal lost 5-0 to 2022 European champion Nelvie Tiafack of Germany. Tiafack dominated throughout the bout against Berwal, who conceded a point after being warned. Berwal managed to challenge his opponent in the first two rounds, but the German won those with 4-1 and 3-2 margins before claiming the final three-minute period with a 5-0 scoreline.

With Bhoria and Narender’s departure from the tournament, the focus shifts to the remaining Indian boxers who are set to compete. Their performances will be crucial in determining India’s success in this prestigious international boxing qualifier. As the tournament progresses, anticipation builds for potential comebacks and inspiring victories from the Indian contingent.

The remaining five male Indian boxers will also have to navigate through a field of difficult opponents in their respective opening rounds.

While World Championship bronze medallist Mohammed Hussamuddin has received a first-round bye, the seasoned Shiva Thapa (63.5kg) will have to get the better of reigning world champion Uzbekistan’s Ruslan Abdullaev to continue his quest for a quota.

World Championships bronze medallist Nishant Dev (71kg) will have to beat Great Britain’s 2022 European Championships silver medallist Lewis Richardson in the first round.

It will be a battle of former Asian Champions in the 92kg with 2021 winner Sanjeet taking on 2022 winner Kazakhstan’s Aibek Oralbay. On the other hand, Lakshya Chahar (80kg) is drawn against 2021 Asian silver medallist Meysam Gheshlaghi of Iran. So far, India has secured four 2024 Olympic quotas through Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Preeti Pawar (54kg), Parveen Hooda (57kg) and Lovlina Borgohain (75kg).

The outcomes of these matches not only highlight the challenges faced by Indian boxers on the international stage but also underscore the unpredictable nature of competitive boxing. As the qualifier continues, it will be interesting to see how the remaining participants adapt and strive for success in pursuit of their Olympic dreams.

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