Bareilly.
Former World Youth champion Sachin Siwach and Asian Games representative Lakshya Chahar led the Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) to a stellar performance on the fifth day of the Elite Men’s National Boxing Championships as the team secured nine berths in the semi-finals. Sachin registered a resounding 5-0 win over Himachal Pradesh’s Ashish Kumar in the lightweight (55-60 kg) category, while Lakshya achieved the feat by registering a resounding win over his rival in the light heavyweight (75-80 kg) category. . Along with Sachin and Chahar, Jadumani Singh Mandengbaram (flyweight), Pawan Bartwal (bantamweight), Hitesh (light middleweight), Deepak (welterweight), Jugnu (cruiserweight), Vishal (heavyweight) and Gaurav Chauhan (super heavyweight) are also included, making them SSCB has become a strong contender for the third consecutive team title.
Meanwhile, in the welterweight (60-65kg) category, defending champion Shiva Thapa continued his stellar form and moved closer to defending his title with a quarterfinal win over Manipur’s Henthoi Myengbam. Thapa will face Himachal Pradesh’s Abhinash Jamwal in the semi-finals. Jamwal, who had defeated 2022 Youth World Champion Vanshaj Kumar in the first round, continued his form with a 4-1 win over Haryana’s Anshul in the quarter-finals, which will set up an exciting clash against the experienced Thapa.
The championship is being organized by the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) in collaboration with Uttar Pradesh Boxing Association from January 7 to 13, 2025, at Invertis University in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh. Nearly 300 boxers will compete in various weight categories in the week-long tournament, which follows World Boxing technical and competition rules, consisting of three three-minute rounds with a one-minute rest interval.
The event will use a 10-point scoring system, with each state unit able to field a maximum of ten boxers. Two-time defending champions SSCB entered the tournament as favorites looking to win their third consecutive title.
