Boxing: Naveen Boora storms into semis, confirms India’s first medal at Strandja Memorial tourney

New Delhi: Indian boxer Naveen Boora (69kg) assured himself of at least a bronze medal after entering the semifinals on the third day at the 72nd Strandja Memorial Tournament in Sofia, Bulgaria.

The 2019 national champion Boora outpunched Brazil’s Eravio Edson 5-0 to advance to the semi-finals.

Another Indian boxer Manjeet Singh (+91kg), who is playing his first senior international tournament, notched up an easy 4-0 win against Irish boxer Gytis Lisinskas to progress into the quarter-finals on Wednesday night.

The Haryana boxer Manjeet will play against Armenia B’s Gurgen Hovhannisyan in last-8 match tonight. 

Jyoti Gulia, Bhagyabati Kachari and Deepak Kumar are the other Indians who will play their quarter-finals bouts.

The 2017 Youth World Champion Gulia, who stunned two-time world champion Nazym Kyzaibay in the last round, will be up against Romanian boxer Lacramioara Perijoc in 51kg while Baghyabati (75kg) will face stiff challenge from world championship bronze medallist Naomi Graham of USA.

In the men’s 52kg, Asian Championship silver medallist Deepak will play against Bulgaria’s Darislav Vasilev. (UNI)