2019 AIBA World Boxing Championship: Amit Panghal, Manish Kaushik ensure medals for India

After Amit Panghal, Manish Kaushik becomes the second Indian to ensure a medal at the AIBA World Boxing Championship on Wednesday. This is India's best-ever outing at the Men's Boxing World Championship where they have already ensured two medals. Earlier they have never won more than one medal in a single edition of the event.

India's fiery boxer Manish Kaushik (63kg), the Commonwealth Games silver medallist, beats non-seeded Brazil’s Wanderson de Oliveira 5-0 in the quarter-finals. Using his power perfectly, Kaushik moves into the semi-final which will be played on Friday. With this win, Manish ensures himself a medal.

Earlier Kaushik emerged victorious in a very tricky pre-quarter-final bout against Baatarsukh Chinzorig of Mongolia, a No. 4 seed and 2018 Asian Games silver medallist. Using his pace, Manish landed some strong punches on his accomplished opponent to secure a unanimous 5-0 win. In the semi-final Manish will face a tough challenge against top-seeded Cuba's 24-yr-old Andy Cruz Gomez, and 2017 World Champion, who defeated Russia's Ilia Popov 5-0.

Also, India's ace boxer Amit Panghal beat Caarlo Palam of Philippines 4-1 in the quarter-finals showdown to ensure a medal on Wednesday. The Indian, who is seeded second in the tournament was the favourite to win the draw in the 52kg category and now he progresses to the Semi-Final. Panghal had defeated Palam in the semi-final of the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.

Panghal beat Turkey’s Batuhan Citfci and he lived up to the expectations when he soared to a comprehensive 5-0 victory to ensure a quarter-finals spot. The Asian Games and Asian Championship gold medallist boxer, Panghal will face Kazakhstan's Saken Bibossinov in the semi-final match on Friday. Bibossinow defeated Armenia's Artur Hovhannisyan 4-1 in the quarter-finals.

Amit Panghal became the fifth Indian male boxer to win a medal at the World Championship. Across the history of Men’s World Boxing Championship, India have won four medals, all bronze by Vijender Singh (2009), Vikas Krishan Yadav (2011), Shiva Thapa (2015), Gaurav Bhiduri (2017).

Rohtak pugilist Sanjeet (91kg) made it a memorable outing in his first-ever appearance at the World Championships, but lost to Ecuador's J. Castillo Torres 1-4 in the quarters today.

Kavinder Singh Bisht (57kg) seeded fifth, was the last Indian to enter the ring. He went down against England's, seeded-fourth Peter McGrail 5-0. Bisht, a 26-year-old Indian Air Force man, was a quarterfinalist in the 2017 Hamburg edition. However, he entered the ongoing edition as one of the strongest contenders for a medal.