CHENNAI: IT was as good as it gets for pugilist Brijesh Yadav on Tuesday, facing his first test in the ongoing AIBA Men’s World Boxing Championships 2019. The 81kg boxer from Rajasthan made an explosive start to help India kick off its campaign on a happy note.
It was such a powerful performance that after the end of three-round bout, which Brijesh won by a 5-0 verdict, his opponent Mateusz Goinski of Poland was left with a bloodied face. At the ringside in Ekaterinburg (Russia), where the event is being held, India high performance director Santiago Nieva was a pleased man. “Once he got going, he controlled the bout very well and had his opponent face the count twice in second round and third round,” Nieva told this daily. His venomous blows left his rival with a cut on his forehead, according to the coach.
But the boxer who had entered the tournament after good shows in recent times — silver medals at India Open and Thailand Open, did display nerves at the start, understandably so, given that he was making his first appearance at the big-ticket event. “Initially, he took some time to get going. Given that this was India’s first bout, he was a little nervous,” Nieva noted.
“But he found his range towards the end of the opening round. And after that, there was no stopping him. It’s highly important to get a good start and he managed to do that. This is a boost for everyone. I’m pleased with this performance.”