JAKARTA: August 29, 2017: Hasanboy Dusmatov beats Amit Panghal by unanimous decision in the quarterfinals of the World Championships in Hamburg.
September 1, 2018: Amit Panghal beats Hasanboy Dusmatov in a split verdict (3-2) to take gold and revenge at the Asian Games in Jakarta. What a change one year can make!
The 22-year-old southpaw was expected to roll over in front of the Olympic champ in the light fly category (49 kg), but the Indian in the blue corner was the one who blossomed over three rounds. His gold, India’s 14th and second-last of this Games, is only the ninth the nation has won in the sport at this level.
Hasanboy was expected to have it easy with his wide variety of punches and jabs, but the Haryana lad upset the narrative. He maintained a safe distance from the Uzbek pugilist thanks to his quick feet and ninja-like movement. However, it was his razor-sharp one-twos that did maximum damage.
It was one of the strategies that Panghal had worked on before the bout, according to chief coach Santiago Nieva. “In the beginning, Hasanboy is always dangerous because he is an explosive fighter,” he said. “But I think my man was moving well.”
Panghal not only moved well, but he also pressed the 25-year-old whenever he saw an opening. These presses, like a footballer chasing a ball after losing it seconds earlier, put the Asian champion in all sorts of trouble. “That is when Amit moved really quickly to land those 1-2 combinations on Hasanboy, as he was slow to react.”
One of those punches, which caught Hasanboy flush on his ears in the first round, was an early warning shot that things may not go according to script. The Indian’s quick feet opened up the bout in the second stanza, especially in the phase where he opted to go with an open stance. He invited the Uzbek to attack with the caveat that he was up against a battering ram with an iron fist.
Hasanboy fell hook, line and sinker, and Panghal gleefully connected more punches. Staring at possible defeat, the 2017 Worlds finalist was under pressure to make his left hooks and jabs count. He failed in his endeavour as the Indian had changed his strategy to a more counter-attacking one. This was the second part of the strategy the Swede had drilled into his ward’s head. “We had two defensive options, and Amit executed both of them to perfection.”
The first was for him to stay away from Hasanboy’s lead hook, one of the most powerful weapons in the Uzbek’s arsenal. The second was to have a firm block-and-counter. The moment the Rio champ opened up, Panghal went into defence. That’s how the entirety of the third round played out.
“We always want him to stay active. But sometimes, to take a step forward, it’s important to take two or three steps back.”
Speaking on his gold, the 22-year-old, an Army man who got into boxing thanks to uncle Raj Narayan, said his life will change now. “I had prepared well for this bout and it came to my advantage. I came out attacking. Obviously, my life will change for the better. When someone wins gold, his/her life changes. Mine will also change. I will keep working hard for future contests.”
In the two recent bouts between Panghal and Hasanboy, the latter had gained momentum in the third round as the Indian tired by then. This trend changed because the former has worked on his strength and stamina. “Hasanboy was a lot stronger last year. Now they are even,” Santiago said. On the evidence of the nine minutes inside Hall C of Jakarta International Expo, the Swede did have a point. swaroop@newindianexpress.com