Astana: Asian Games silver medallist Manpreet Singh (91kg) started his campaign at the AIBA Asian Olympic Qualifying Event in Astana, Kazakhstan with a resounding victory on Friday (6th Apr 2012), which saw him advance to the quarter-final stage of the qualification tournament.
The heavy weight boxer was at his menacing best as he devoured his opponent in what was a brilliant display of methodical, aggression. Singh floored his opponent Tulyek Yerbolat of Mongolia with a crashing right cross followed by a huge uppercut which left the Referee no other option but to stop the bout, in the very first round as that was the third count being administered to him. Hence, on the decision of RSC (Referee Stops Contest) in the 1st Round, the 23 year old Indian was declared the winner. It took Manpreet just 1 minute 46 seconds to get past the Mongolian National Champion.
Manpreet will now meet Borbashev Chingis of Kyrgyzstan in the quarterfinals on Sunday the 8th of April. Incidentally the Kyrgyz boxer created an upset by defeating Rustam Tulaganov of Uzbekistan in the other pre-quarterfinal bout today.
Olympic Bronze medalist Vijender Singh (75kgs) will play against Waez Ishak of Syria, who was a Pan Arab Military Games Gold medal winner in 2010, in the pre-quarter final match today evening at 8.00 pm.
On Saturday 7th April, Commonwealth Games Gold medallist Suranjoy Sing will meet his old nemesis Nyambayar Tugstsogt of Mongolia in the 52 kilograms weight division. Although Suranjoy had lost twice earlier to the Mongolian boxer at the AIBA World Championships 2011 on points (14:17) and also at the AIBA World Championships 2009 on count back of equal points 10:10, he will certainly be more confident this time as his compatriot Santosh Harijan had defeated Nyambayar by a score of 18:9 points at the Asian Championships 2011 at Incheon, Korea.
Youth Olympic Games 2010 Silver medallist Shiva Thapa (56kgs) will also be seen in action as he takes on Mohd Nooristani of Afghanistan in the pre-quarter finals, If Thapa gets the better of the Afghani boxer, he is then likely to meet Asian Games 2010 Gold medallist Worapoj Petchkoom of Thailand who was also the Silver medallist at Athens Olympics 2004 in the quarterfinals on 9th April.
By Indian Sports News Network
