CHENNAI: September 18, 2019. This date will go down as a significant one for Indian boxing. Pugilists Amit Panghal (52kg) and Manish Kaushik (63kg) made history by muscling their way into semifinals, thereby assuring themselves of at least a bronze medal, in the ongoing AIBA World Championships in Ekaterinburg. This is the first time India will be returning home with two medals from the same championship.
In a competition where India have only ever won four bronze medals, through Vijender Singh (2009), Vikas Krishan (2011), Shiva Thapa (2015) and Gaurav Bidhuri (2017), this twin strike is a big shot in the arm for the sport in the country. Panghal added to his reputation by winning his fourth successive medal in a major competition — after the ones in Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and Asian Championships. On Wednesday, Panghal’s game sense was top notch as he outwitted Filipino Carlo Paalam 4-1 in the last-eight match while Kaushik displayed his technical nous to outplay Brazil’s Wanderson de Oliveira 5-0.
“Every athlete dreams of winning on a big stage. I’m glad I could fulfil it. Given that I had done well at the Asian level, I wanted to build on that and make an impression on the world stage,” Panghal said.
The southpaw has left quite an impression on everyone. One person in particular, national chief coach CA Kuttappa, was delighted with the way the 23-year-old went about his business. “Dimag sey khela (fought intelligently). He made a slow start but he fought a very clever fight. In the final round, he increased the intensity level and scored some valuable points by landing punches.”
Making his debut on the big stage, Kaushik has not been far behind Panghal in the ongoing meet and has caught the attention of many. After stunning fourth-seeded Mongolian Baatarsukh Chinzorig 24 hours ago, the 2018 Commonwealth Games silver medallist was in full flow on Wednesday. “He’s a busy operator, always on his toes. Also, he has learnt a lot in recent times. I have always asked them to be smart about how they go about their business. Attack when required and defend when required. It’s important to preserve your energy if you have a good lead. Kaushik followed that to perfection,” Kuttappa said.
While it was a joyous day for the duo, it was so close yet so far for Kavinder Singh Bisht (57kg) and S Sanjeet (91kg). Their quarterfinal rivals were too strong and they just missed out on the medal. Two medals in the bag, The two army boxers now have the opportunity to script more history as they aim for gold. India has never done better than bronze. “Now, I hope to change the colour of the medal and make history,” Panghal said.
But Kuttappa is not celebrating just yet. The Dronacharya awardee has been at the heart of the affairs behind the scenes, looking to raise the level of boxers for some time now. And he wants India’s progress to reflect in the form of a gold medal. “I’m still not satisfied. Obviously, this (medals) is a huge boost. However, I want the boxers to go all the way and win gold. If they manage that, I’ll be a delighted coach.”
With Panghal looking unstoppable and Kaushik raising his game at the right hour, that goal does not seem farfetched.