Pooja Rani won the first gold medal for India at the 2021 Asian Boxing Championships in Dubai on Sunday (May 30), hours after legendary MC Mary Kom and Lalbuatsaihi settled for the silver medals. Anupama also lost her final bout. (More Sports News)
Pooja, 30, defeated Mavluda Movlonova of Uzbekistan by unanimous decision to win back-to-back gold medals in the tournament. In 2019, she won the gold in 81 kg.
Earlier, Kom lost a hard-fought fight 2-3 against Nazym Kyzaibay, who is 11 years younger than her, in the final of women's 51 kg. Later, Lalbuatsaihi her 64 kg final against Milana Safronova of Kazakhstan in another split decision.
Kom, 38, lost a hard-fought bout against Nazym Kyzaibay, who is 11 years younger than her, in the 51 kg final; while Lalbuatsaihi failed to get the better of Milana Safronova, also of Kazakstan, despite producing a valiant show.
Showing her experience, six-time world champion Kom matched her Kazakh southpaw punch-by-punch, but Kyzaibay, herself a two-time world champion, outlasted the Indian. This was Mary Kom's seventh Asian Championships gold medal, including five golds.
In 81+ kg, Anupama lost he final bout to Lazzat Kungeibayeva of Kazakhstan by split decision.
Kazakhstan thus ended the day with eight gold medals, while India and Uzbekistan won one each.
Three other Indian women -- Lalbuatsaihi (64 kg), Pooja Rani (75 kg) and Anupama (81+ kg) -- are lined up for their respective finals. Men's finals are scheduled for Monday.
Kazakhstan boxers were on a roll on Sunday.
Follow live updates of Day 6 of the Asian Boxing Championships here:
7: 46 PM IST: The first gold medal of the 2021 Asian Boxing Championships goes to the second-seeded Alua Balkibekova of Kazakhstan. She defeated Gulasal Sultonalieva of Uzbekistan in the women's 48 kg final by split decision, 4-1. Balkibekova had previously defeated India's Monica in the semis.
8:17 PM IST: Top-seeded Dina Zholaman of Kazakhstan beat Sitora Shogdarova of Uzbekistan to win 54 kg gold with a split decision. Three on the bounce for Kazakhstan.
8:34 PM IST: And Sitora Turdibekova of Uzbekistan broke Kazakhstan's domination by defeating Vladislava Kukhta in the 57 kg final.
8:41 PM IST: Explosive performance from Rimma Volossenko of Kazakstan as the referee stopped the contest. A huge left hand and Huswatun Hasanah of Indonesia faced a standing countdown from the referee. Then, another one followed. It didn't even last one round. Another gold for Kazakhstan. Indeed, a very rare sight in women's boxing. But history for Hasanah as she became the first Indonesian to make the final of the Asian Championships.
8:48 PM IST: Action will continue after medal ceremonies.
9:39 PM IST: Another split decision against India. Lalbuatsaihi lost her 64 kg final against Milana Safronova of Kazakhstan. The Mizo girl was the last-minute replacement for Pwilao Basumatary, who couldn’t make the trip to the UAE after failing to a get visa.
In an all-out fight, Lalbuatsaihi kept testing her more experienced Kazakh opponent with a barrage of punches, just like she did against Kuwait’s Noura Almutairi in the semis. But ended up losing 2-3.
9:57 PM IST: Valentina Khalzova of Kazakhstan beat Navbakhor Khamidova of Uzbekistan in the 69 kg final.
10:13 PM IST: First gold medal for India. Pooja Rani defeated Mavluda Movlonova of Uzbekistan in the 75 kg final.
10:29 PM IST: Seventh gold for Kazakhstan. Fariza Sholtay, who won a bronze in 2019, beat Ruzmetova Sokhiba of Uzbekistan by unanimous decision.
Up next is the final bout, featuring India's Anupama.
10:46 PM IST: Anupama lost her 81+ kg final to Lazzat Kungeibayeva of Kazakhstan by split decision (2-3).
