Commonwealth Games 2022 boxing: Amit Panghal, Mohd Hussamuddin cruise into quarter-finals
The Indian boxer beat Vanuatu’s Namri Berri by unanimous decision in the round of 16 men’s 51kg boxing bout at Birmingham 2022.
Indian boxer Amit Panghal eased his way into the quarter-finals of the men’s flyweight 51kg boxing at the Commonwealth Games 2022 in Birmingham, UK on Monday.
Amit Panghal, a silver medallist from Gold Coast 2018, beat Vanuatu’s Namri Berri by unanimous decision at the National Exhibition Centre (NEC) in Solihull.
Former Asian Games champion and world championships silver medallist Amit Panghal was by far the superior boxer in the contest and dominated his opponent from start to end.
"It was a good workout but it was easy. My opponent was good but never gave me any problems. I could have stepped it up but there is a long way to go and I am here for gold. I won silver at Gold Coast and I am here to go one better. I am only interested in the gold medal," - Amit Panghal.
Berri, who clearly had the height advantage over Amit Panghal, came out trying to use his superior reach to his advantage but the Indian boxer, with his quick dodging ability and footwork, easily evaded the Vanuatu boxer’s blows.
Throughout the first round, Amit Panghal made Berri miss and peppered him with counterpunches. The Indian then cracked open a few left hooks before the bell sounded.
A visibly frustrated Berri tried to go on the offensive in the second round but Amit Panghal stayed low and rinsed and repeated his strategy from the first round.
With Berri forced to go all out to salvage something from the bout in the final round, Panghal comfortably dictated the pace of the bout with his footwork and ring presence.
In the quarter-finals, Amit Panghal, who faced a disappointing second round exit at Tokyo 2020, will face the Scotland’s Lennon Mulligan, who got the better of Kiribati’s Eriu Temakau in his bout.
Later in the day, Gold Coast 2018 bronze-medallist Mohammad Hussamuddin joined Amit Panghal in the quarters with a win over Bangladesh boxer Mohammad Salim Hossain in the men’s 57kg featherweight round of 16.
Hussamuddin, who had outboxed South Africa’s Amzolele Dyeyi 5-0 round of 32, also won his pre-quarterfinal bout by unanimous decision after a superb tactical display.
Meanwhile, in the men's 80kg light heavyweight division, India's Ashish Kumar produced a one-sided display against Travis Tapatuetoa of Niue to win his round of 16 bout 5-0. The Indian boxer will face Englishman Aaron Bowen in the quarter-finals.