High praise for Indian pugilists, from the land of boxing

While showering praise on the Indian pugilists, the newsletter has ventilated a collective feeling of anger and disgust over England by calling it really ‘shameful’.

‘‘England, the mother country of boxing, was again humiliated; India won nine medals, including four gold, three silver and two bronze medals, and seven Indian boxers reached the finals. England and Scotland were relegated to second and third places. The Indian gold medal tally was twice that of England,’’ says the newsletter.

Drawing parallel, Boxing Action states that India with a meagre budget have achieved what the Amateur Boxing Association of England (ABAE) could not, even after spending millions of pounds of taxpayers’ money.

Citing another example, it says that India were forced to renounce staging the meet because it could not afford the cost of conducting the event while the City Council had to pitch in to promote the prestigious event in Glasgow.

‘‘This is excruciatingly painful for English boxing afficiandos who passionately want success for amateur boxing in their mother country. (But) it is only fair that we salute India and congratulate them on travelling thousands of miles to a strange country and culture, and taking home gold, silver and bronze. This is a reverse situation upon which the great British empire was founded.The triumph of Indian Amateur Boxing Federation is a sign of remarkable progress by India and it clearly indicates that with efficient administration international and domestic success is attainable.’’

Recently there has been the usual flow of rhetoric from ABAE admininistration, says the newsletter, expounding on the ‘‘wonderful’’ future they have planned for amateur boxing in England. The reality is that India, a nation with no real boxing reputation, has shamed ABAE.

The result in Glasgow, concludes the newsletter, has left a devastating and demoralising effect on the ABAE registered boxers, club coaches and officials who work tirelessly for the amateur sport, often at a personal financial cost and without recognition.

Aswathy joins teammates in medal round

express news service

Taking the cue and egged on by her teammates, Aswathy Mol made sure of a semifinal spot in the women’s World Boxing Championships at Podolsk (Russia). The Kerala boxer outboxed her American rival Junot Tiffany 21-6 to join four of her teammates in the medal round.

K.C. Lekha was, however, not lucky and bowed out in the quarterfinals after Malek Beata of Poland won 35-25.

With Aswathy’s entry, India are now assured of at least five medals and the semifinal bouts are slated for later tonight.

Aswathy proved too good for the US pugilist as she combined her left and right with equal measure to force her rival on the backfoot. Finally, the referee had to intervene and stop the contest to give the Indian with an RSC verdict in the first round itself. Aswathy was leading 21-6 at that time.

Meanwhile, impressed with the Indian women boxers’ performance in the ongoing world meet, the Russian federation is already contemplating to send its team to train with the Indians.