NEW DELHI: Top Indian pugilists will be seen in action when the inaugural India Open tournament kicks off in New Delhi next week. The likes of five-time world champion MC Mary Kom to World Championship bronze medallist Shiva Thapa will be looking to assert themselves and make a strong impression, given that the selection committee will be keeping a close watch on the proceedings to identify potential boxers for the Commonwealth Games.
According to the Boxing Federation of India, the event which begins on Sunday is expected to feature boxers from close to 25 countries, including Cuba, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and Russia. A notable absentee from the men’s line-up of 39 boxers is World Championship bronze medallist Gaurav Bidhuri (56kg), who is nursing a few niggles and a lingering back problem.
“The India Open is the perfect stage for the Commonwealth Games preparation as they will be competing against world class boxers and their performance can be judged,” said India’s High Performance Director Santiago Nieva.