Jaismine Reaches World Championships Quarterfinals; Sanamcha, Sakshi Exit
Jaismine advances to quarters; Sanamcha Chanu and Sakshi Chaudhary exit in the round of 16.
Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Jaismine Lamboria moved closer to her first World Boxing Championships medal by advancing to the quarterfinals in the women's 57kg category, offering a bright spot for India amid early exits for other competitors. The event, a crucial qualifier for the Olympics, featured intense bouts on Sunday and Monday.
In her third appearance at the Championships, Lamboria delivered a dominant 5-0 victory over Brazil's two-time Olympian Jucielen Cerqueira Romeu in the round of 16. The Indian boxer, leveraging her height and reach, controlled the bout with precise counterpunches and a strong finish in the final round. She will next face Uzbekistan's Asian Under-22 champion Khumorabonu Mamajonova in the quarterfinals.
Abhinash Jamwal also progressed in the men's 65 kg category, securing a convincing 5-0 win over Mexico's Hugo Barron in the round of 16, keeping India's hopes alive in that division.
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However, the day brought setbacks for three other Indian boxers. Sanamacha Chanu (70 kg) lost 0-5 to Kazakhstan's Natalya Bogdanova, while Sakshi Chaudhary (54 kg) was outmatched by Turkey's Hatice Akbas, a Paris Olympics silver medallist and two-time Worlds medallist, in a comprehensive defeat. Neeraj Phogat (65 kg) put up a valiant effort in her pre-quarterfinal against England's Sacha Hickey but fell short in a closely contested 3-2 decision after three rounds. Despite levelling the score in the second round with sharp combinations, Phogat couldn't secure enough points in the final round.
Sakshi's bout highlighted her inexperience, as she was penalised for over-aggression early and struggled against Akbas's technical prowess. These losses underscore the challenges faced by Indian boxers against top international talent at the Championships.
India's campaign continues with Jamwal and Lamboria in contention as the tournament progresses in Liverpool.
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