By IANS,
Guadalajara (Mexico) : India’s Thokchom Nanao Singh entered the final of the 48-kg class in the World Youth Boxing Championships, defeating Beccu Jeremy of France on points (14:4)here at the Gymnastics Complex.
Nanao of the Services now meets Nikolaychuk Gregoriy of Russia in the final Saturday.
A total of 287 boxers from 58 countries, born in 1990-91, are taking part in 11 weight categories.
The Indian Boxing Team of seven boxers have made an excellent impact at the World Championships by winning their preliminary bouts in style against their more fancied European Opponents. However, only Thokchom Nanao Singh could manage to enter the medal round. The finals are slated to be held Nov 1.
India are ranked eighth in the world rankings behind Russia, Cuba, Uzbekistan, Germany, Mexico, Romania, Ireland.
A recruit of the Army Boys Sports Company at Artillery Centre, Hyderabad, in 2003, Nanao won medals at the national cadet, sub-junior and junior championships and to nurture his talent he was shifted to the Army Boys Sports Company at Army Sports Institute, Pune.
Nanao won a silver medal at the Junior Commonwealth Championships in Scotland last year and from then on his graph started taking an upward spiral. He followed it up with gold at the Commonwealth Youth Games at Pune last month.
Nanao’s strength is his tremendous speed in delivering straight punches for which he uses a combination of 5-6 punches at a time and also has excellent defence. His biggest disadvantage is his height, but he overcomes that by attacking his opponents relentlessly and engaging them at close quarters, not allowing them to use their longer reach.
The details of performances of all the seven Indian Boxers at the youth championships:
Thokchom Nanao Singh (48 kgs): Beat Wright Robert (Scotland) on pts 11:6; beat European cadet champion Mikoya Butsenko (Ukraine) by RSC in Round 3; beat Latipov Jasurbek (Uzbekistan) on pts 17:6 in the quarterfinals; beat Beccu Jeremy (France) on pts 14:4 in the semi-finals.
Sunil Kumar (51 kgs): Beat Dong Hyeon Sung of Korea on pts 11:3, lost to Perez Zapata Orlando of Dominican Republic on pts 16:5.
Bajrang (54 kgs): Beat Palicte Aston Francis of Phillipines 27:8, lost to Dueliz De La Cruz of Dominican Republic
Kangkham Roshan Singh (57 kgs): Beat Stankovic Branimir of Serbia on pts 12:8 , lost to Oleg Shefer of Ukraine on pts 14:6
Goyat Neeraj (60 kgs) : Beat Faileaso Toefuataina of ASA on pts 16:4, lost to Sarukhan Vage of Russia on pts 13:7.
Virothu Santhosh Kumar (64 kgs): Beat Martirosyan Aram of Armenia on pts 12:5, lost to Salazar Mendoza of Croatia by walkover due to Injury.
Balwinder Beniwal (69 kgs): Beat Hryhorchyk Aliaksandr of Belarus on pts 16:4, beat Tapia Jonuel of Puerto Rico on pts 23:6, lost to Abdulai Satula of Germany on pts 16:5.