World Boxing Championships 2021: Debutant Akash Kumar wins India's first medal
Debutant Akash Kumar (54kg) secured India's first medal at the ongoing AIBA World Men's Boxing Championships here on Tuesday after advancing to the semifinals
Debutant Akash Kumar (54kg) secured India's first medal at the ongoing AIBA World Men's Boxing Championships here on Tuesday after advancing to the semifinals with a superb win over former Olympic silver-medallist Yoel Finol Rivas of Venezuela. The 21-year-old Akash, who is a reigning national champion, prevailed 5-0 in a fabulous performance during which his punching and showmanship were simply outstanding.
The fearless youngster scored on counter-attacks with a non-existent guard and taunted his opponent, all this while staying out of his range with terrific pace and footwork. He lost his mother to a lung infection in September and competed in the national championships unaware of the tragedy. Rivas had originally won a bronze in the Rio 2016 Olympics but his medal was upgraded to silver after the original second place finisher failed a dope test.
Later this evening, five-time Asian medallist Shiva Thapa (63.5kg) will square off against Turkey's Kerem Oezmen in the quarterfinals along with three other Indians. Narender Berwal (+92kg) will go up against Azerbaijan's Mahammad Abdullayev, while Nishant Dev (71kg) will take on Russia's Vadim Musaev. Reigning Asian champion Sanjeet (92kg), who was a quarterfinalist in the event's last edition, will face Italian Aziz Abbes Mouhiidine. The gold winners at the showpiece will walk away with a prize money of USD 100,000.