India and Uzbekistan are the best nations after the finals of the Indian Open Boxing Tournament

The Indian Open Boxing Tournament was finished with its last competition day in New Delhi where 18 champions have been crowned in the historical first edition. India achieved eight gold medals in the tournament but Uzbekistan was able to get also five titles in New Delhi where several surprises were delivered by young hopes.
The competition was very important for the Indian boxers before the Commonwealth Games and their Open Boxing Tournament was a selection event to the multisport event. The boxing tournament of the Commonwealth Games will be held in Gold Coast, Australia in April 4-15 therefore many of the involved countries decided to attend in the Indian Open Boxing Tournament as one of the last preparations.
India’s five-time AIBA Women’s World Champion and five-time ASBC Asian Women’s Champion Chungneijang Mary Kom Hmangte returned with an impressive success in the last edition of the ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships in Ho Chi Minh City last November. Mary Kom, who moved back to her light flyweight (48kg), had to do her very best to beat Philippines’ former AIBA Women’s World Champion Josie Gabuco but finally her hand was raised in New Delhi.
Mongolia’s ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships bronze medallist Jargalan Ochirbat is competing at the Olympic flyweight (51kg) in the Indian Open Boxing Tournament in New Delhi. The 22-year-old Mongolian eliminated India’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships silver medallist Sarjubala Shamjetsabam Devi in the semi-final but she was not able to beat another host nation boxer, Pinky Jangra Rani in the title contest. The next gold medal went to India’s Manisha who defeated her teammate Meena Kumari in the final of the bantamweight (54kg).
Philippines’ AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships silver medallist Nesthy Petecio delivered superb performance in the whole Indian Open Boxing Tournament in New Delhi. The 25-year-old Filipino, who joined to the national squad in 2009, defeated Thailand’s veteran Tassamalee Thongjan, Indonesia’s Southeast Asian Games silver medallist Christina Marwan Jembay during her road to the final. Petecio did enough against India’s Sonia in the gold medal contest of the featherweight (57kg) and secured Philippines’ lone title.
India’s former AIBA Women’s World Champion Sarita Devi Laishram began her boxing career in the same year as their living legend Chungneijang Mary Kom Hmangte. Devi is also active in the international level and returned to her lightweight (60kg) after a short break. The 36-year-old boxer eliminated Thailand’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships silver medallist and Rio 2016 Olympian Peamwilai Laopeam in the quarter-finals and defeated India’s Priyanka Choudhary in her next fight. Her final opponent was Finland’s Rio 2016 Olympic Games bronze medallist Mira Potkonen and her European rival did better performance this time.
Thailand’s Sudaporn Seesondee was bronze medallist in the Jeju 2014 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships but since that competition she was not able to do the same level in the international events. Thailand’s experienced boxer arrived to New Delhi in better shape and she used up her strong jabs to beat India’s Simranjit Kaur in the semi-final of the event. She worked well also in the final against India’s Pwilao Basumatary but her opponent was slightly stronger in the gold medal bout.
India’s ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain defeated Mongolia’s Erdenetuya Enkhbaatar in the semi-final of the welterweight (69kg) on their re-match. The 20-year-old Borgohain had to meet with India’s Pooja in the final which was their second bout within one month. Pooja was the winner of their first appearance but this time Borgohain has done a revenge in the Indian Open Boxing Tournament in New Delhi.
Cameroon’s AFBC African Women’s Champion Clotilde Essiane could be a new star at the middleweight (75kg). Cameroon’s pride defeated sensationally India’s ASBC Asian Confederation Women’s Boxing Championships runner-up Pooja Rani, Thailand’s Suchada Panich and finally she was too strong for India’s AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships silver medallist Saweety Boora as well.
India’s ASBC Asian Confederation Boxing Championships bronze medallist Amit Panghal is a smart boxer who has got the realistic chance to represent his country at the light flyweight (49kg) in the upcoming Commonwealth Games. The 23-year-old Indian boxer defeated his teammate Nutlai Lalbiakkima in the semi-final and did not give any chance to Nanjing 2014 Youth Olympian Shyam Kumar Kakara in the first man final.
Uzbekistan’s Khudoynazar Fayzov, who trains with Farrukh Kilichev since 2011, won their Youth National Championships and Elite National Championships in the recent months. Fayzov moved up to the flyweight (52kg) and he did a remarkable performance in the Indian Open Boxing Tournament where he secured his place in the final after beating Philippines’ Marvin Tabamo. Fayzov’s final opponent was India’s Salman Anwar Shaikh who was not able to stop the Uzbek attacks in the gold medal contest.
Uzbekistan’s 21-year-old Abdulkhay Sharakhmatov is unbeaten in the World Series of Boxing who dominated also the bantamweight (56kg) of the Indian Open Boxing Tournament in New Delhi. The Uzbek boxer overcame India’s Madan Lal in the quarterfinal and did not give any chance in the semi-final bout against another host nation boxer, 18-year-old Muhammed Etash Khan. The young Uzbek was too smart also for Mongolia’s Rio 2016 Olympian Enkh-Amar Kharkhuu in the final of the weight class.
India’s new lightweight (60kg) sensation Manish Kaushik won the Indian National Championships three months ago when he defeated their two-time Olympian No.1 Shiva Thapa as well. Kaushik eliminated Cuba’s WSB star Armando Martinez, Philippines’ Incheon 2014 Asian Games silver medallist Charly Suarez and India’s ASBC Asian Champion Shiva Thapa during his road to the finals in New Delhi. Kaushik walked over to the gold medal as Mongolia’s 20-year-old Misheelt Battumur was unable to box against him in the final.
Uzbekistan’s Hamburg 2017 AIBA World Boxing Championships silver medallist and ASBC Asian Champion Ikboljon Kholdarov felt the rhythm in his semi-final against India’s Dheeraj Kumar from the first seconds and advanced to the title bout in New Delhi. The Uzbek boxer did not find the best fighting distance against Cuba’s Jorge Moiran Vinent in the final of the light welterweight (64kg) an claimed only silver medal in his first event in 2018.
Uzbekistan’s new sensation at the welterweight (69kg) Bobo-Usmon Boturov won the title at the Islamic Solidarity Games in Baku last May. The 23-year-old Uzbek moved eliminated Nepal’s Bishnu Prasad Ghale in the quarter-final and India’s Duryodhan Singh Negi during his road to the finals. Boturov used his pressurizing style in the final of the Indian Open Boxing Tournament and overwhelmed India’s Dinesh.
Uzbekistan’s next top boxer ASBC Asian Champion and Incheon 2014 Asian Games silver medallist 23-year-old Israil Madrimov eliminated India’s Mandeep Jangra in the semi-final and marched to the final of the middleweight (75kg). Madrimov, who won dozen big tournaments in the recent two years, reduced the fighting distance successfully in the final against Cuba’s tall Osley Iglesias and won Uzbekistan’s next gold in New Delhi.
Cuba’s AIBA Youth World Champion 20-year-old Osvary David Morrell won their National Championships the Playa Giron in December and dominated the light heavyweight (81kg) also in the Indian Open Boxing Tournament. Morrell was too quick for India’s Devanshu Jaiswal in the final while Tajikistan’s AIBA World Boxing Championships quarter-finalist Shabbos Negmatulloev achieved only bronze medal this time.
India’s new pride at the heavyweight (91kg) Sanjeet eliminated Kazakhstan’s Ontalap Rakhmanov in the first preliminary round of the Indian Open Boxing Tournament and continued his unexpected winning path in the semi-finals and finals as well. Sanjeet defeated India’s AIBA Youth World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Naman Tanwar and he looked slightly better than Uzbekistan’s AIBA World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Sanjar Tursunov in the final.
Uzbekistan’s fifth gold medal was captured in the Indian Open Boxing Tournament by Bakhodir Jalolov who is the reigning ASBC Asian Champion at the super heavyweight (+91kg). The Rio 2016 Olympic Games quarter-finalist Uzbek star had longer hands than his final opponent, India’s experienced Satish Kumar and he was able to keep his performance until the end of the final bell.

List of the winners in the Indian Open Boxing Tournament
Women’s 48kg: Chungneijang Mary Kom Hmangte, India
Women’s 51kg: Pinky Jangra Rani, India
Women’s 54kg: Manisha, India
Women’s 57kg: Nesthy Petecio, Philippines
Women’s 60kg: Mira Potkonen, Finland
Women’s 64kg: Pwilao Basumatary, India
Women’s 69kg: Lovlina Borgohain, India
Women’s 75kg: Clotilde Essiane, Cameroon
Men’s 49kg: Amit Panghal, India
Men’s 52kg: Khudoynazar Fayzov, Uzbekistan
Men’s 56kg: Abdulkhay Sharakhmatov, Uzbekistan
Men’s 60kg: Manish Kaushik, India
Men’s 64kg: Jorge Moiran Vinent, Cuba
Men’s 69kg: Bobo-Usmon Boturov, Uzbekistan
Men’s 75kg: Israil Madrimov, Uzbekistan
Men’s 81kg: Osvary David Morrell, Cuba
Men’s 91kg: Sanjeet, India
Men’s +91kg: Bakhodir Jalolov, Uzbekistan