Palestine and Bangladesh won their first contests in the Asian Games

The evening session of the third competition day delivered excellent bouts at the men’s featherweight (57kg) in the Asian Games in Hangzhou. Palestine and Bangladesh won their first contests during the session when India’s Narender Berwal knocked out his opponent.

Lundaa Gantumur replaced Enkh-Amar Kharkhuu in the Mongolian national team and the 22-year-old featherweight (57kg) boxer had a strong start against Yemen’s veteran Mohammed Ghaleb Al-Qarnas in the first round. The Mongolian progressed rapidly in the previous one year and he had the fantastic performance in the opener of the weight class. Lundaa dominated the second and third rounds even better and he advanced to the Round of 16 after the first bout of the sixth session.

Japan’s Youth World Champion Reito Tsutsumi was not able to make the team therefore another young talent represents the country at the men’s featherweight (57kg), Shudai Harada. The university boxer faced Saudi Arabia’s Ziyad Ali Majrashi who made his debut in the 2017 ASBC Asian Junior Boxing Championships in Puerto Princesa. Harada dictated the tempo, he landed the stronger shots and he won all of the three rounds on the judges’ scorecards.

Bangladesh and Sri Lanka both sent a small delegation in boxing to the Asian Games and their Mohamed Salim Hossain and Podi Arachchige Rukmal Prasanna competed each other in the first round of the men’s featherweight (57kg). Both competed in the Commonwealth Games last year and among them the older Hossain started the first round better in their meeting. Prasanna was excellent only in the third round but his great finish was not enough to turn back this preliminary bout in Hangzhou.

Tajikistan’s strong Asror Vokhidov claimed a gold medal at the 2011 Junior World Boxing Championships and he returned from the professional events to earn an Olympic spot for the Paris 2024 edition. Vokhidov was quarter-finalist in Tashkent and he dominated the first round against Laos’ teenager, Souliya Khammy in Hangzhou. The experienced Tajik finished the contest in the second round when he landed the decisive punches.

Palestine’s 19-year-old Wasim Abusal competed in various international tournaments in the recent five years and he looked so experienced in comparison to Bhutan’s newcomer Tashi Yoezer. The Palestinian featherweight (57kg) talent was quicker and smarter in the exchanges in all of the three rounds, therefore Wasim Abusal won his nation’s first boxing bout in this Asian Games.

Thailand’s Rujakran Juntrong was bronze medallist in the last Asian Games and he regained his place in the national team in time to compete in Hangzhou as well. The 27-year-old Thai was highly motivated against Hong Kong’s lone boxer, a former professional World Champion, Tso Sing Yu today and he eliminated his opponent. Another favourite in this featherweight (57kg), Kazakhstan’s World Champion Makhmud Sabyrkhan did not give any chance to South Korea’s Lee Ye Chan in the next bout.

India’s Narender Berwal opened the super heavyweight (+92kg) contests in the evening session and the 29-year-old boxer knocked out Kyrgyzstan’s National Champion Oomatbek Elchoro Uulu after one minute of fight. Mongolia’s Beknur Khali had a closer but successful mission against Nepal’s veteran Ashish Duwadi while Tajikistan’s ASBC Asian Boxing Championships bronze medallist Mukhammad Abroridinov stopped United Arab Emirates’ Mohammed Al-Hefetti.

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