India’s star Mary Kom returned to the competitions with a narrow success at the Boxam Tournament
The second competition day of the 35th Boxam Tournament saw 20 female contests in one session in Castellon de la Plana, Spain. India’s boxing icon Chungneijang Mary Kom Hmangte returned to the international stage with a narrow success over Italy’s Giordana Sorrentino and advanced to the semi-finals.
India and Kazakhstan sent their top line-ups to the competition where such strong nations as Russia, United States, Ecuador, Italy, France, Spain, Puerto Rico, Panama, Lithuania and Romania are also in the Boxam Tournament. Castellon de la Plana is the host of the strong international event once again which is located in the Valencia region.
India’s six-time AIBA Women’s World Champion and five-time ASBC Asian Champion Chungneijang Mary Kom Hmangte did not box since the Asian & Oceanian Olympic Boxing Qualifying Event and returned in the Boxam Tournament. The Indian star had a 17-year-younger rival, Giordana Sorrentino of Italy but Mary Kom started the first round quicker. The promising Italian is a wonderful talent in our sport and she had several excellent actions against the returning Indian. Mary Kom felt the tempo well and she changed her tactical elements several times to beat her young Italian rival.
“I was so nervous before the contest which was my first one since March 2020 but I calmed down when I entered to the ring. I felt the combinations, the footwork and all of the previous skills come back and I could do the best strategy against the Italian,” said India’s icon Mary Kom after the contest in Castellon.
India’s Manisha Moun lost to Italy’s EUBC European Women’s Champion Irma Testa at the featherweight (57kg) but their younger talent in the same category, Jaismine caused a strong surprise in the second day of boxing. The 20-year-old Indian had only a few international experiences in the recent three years and only among the youth boxers. Jaismine used her longer hands well enough against United States’ Andrea Medina and landed jabs from safest distance. The more experienced US girl moved forward without any stoppage but Jaismine kept the focus until the final gong to beat Medina.
India’s next boxer in action was AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Simranjit Kaur Baath at the lightweight (60kg). The 25-year-old Indian moved down from the light welterweight (64kg) and qualified already to the Tokyo Olympic Games. Kaur had an inexperienced Spanish rival in the quarter-finals, Victoria Eugenia Albons Llompart but the local opponent had brave attacks in the bout. The Indian boxer was technically and tactically better in their meeting and also joined to the last four.
India’s two-time AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain tried to use her longer distance against Russia’s Saadat Dalgatova but her veteran opponent was too strong for the Asian girl at the welterweight (69kg). India’s last boxer in the day was Pooja Rani who also qualified for the Tokyo Olympic Games in Amman one year ago. Rani had a tough opponent, Italy’s Assunta Canfora but the Indian boxer knew her well and used the best fighting range to win that middleweight (75kg) contest.
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