Shiva, Sachin shine with successive wins; Devendra impresses in 8th Elite Men’s National Boxing Championship

Shiva, Sachin shine with successive wins; Devendra impresses in 8th Elite Men’s National Boxing Championship

Shiva Thapa and Sachin Siwach continued their stellar campaigns at the 8th Elite Men’s National Boxing Championship, securing emphatic victories on Day 4 to enter the quarterfinals in Bareilly on Saturday.

Thapa, representing Assam, maintained his dominant form in the Welterweight (60-65kg) category with a 5-0 win over Himanshu Sangwan, while former World Youth Champion Sachin delivered another commanding performance in his respective bout, defeating Manipur’s Kingson Pukhrambam by the same margin.

Devendra Solanki of Rajasthan has been one of the standout performers of the tournament so far. Competing in the Flyweight (47-50kg) category, Solanki once again showcased his skill and determination in securing his third straight win of the championship.

Solanki beat Mizoram’s Zorammuana with a unanimous decision to progress to the last eight stage. Meanwhile, Abhinash Jamwal of Himachal Pradesh pulled off a major upset by defeating 2022 Youth World Boxing Champion (63.5kg) Vanshaj Kumar of Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) with a commanding 5-0 verdict, advancing to the quarterfinals in style.

Hosted by the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh Boxing Association, the championship takes place at Invertis University in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, from January 7 to 13, 2025.

Punjab’s Gopi brought an end to Govind Sahani’s impressive run, securing a Round 3 victory in the Flyweight category to stall the Strandja Memorial silver medallist’s progress. Meanwhile, Andhra Pradesh’s Bhanu Prakash delivered a statement performance with a knockout win over Goa’s Umesh Chavan, advancing to the next round.

Overall, it was another productive day for the Services Sports Control Board, as they continued to assert their dominance in the championship. Alongside Sachin, Hitesh Gulia (Light Middleweight), Deepak (Welterweight), Jugnoo (Cruiserweight), and Vishal (Heavyweight) all secured victories to book their spots in the quarterfinals, further solidifying SSCB’s stronghold in the competition.

The event will employ a 10-point scoring system, with each state unit able to enter up to ten boxers. Team SSCB, the two-time defending champions, entered the tournament as the favourites while seeking their third consecutive title.