Commonwealth Games bronze medalist Jaismine Lamboria is one step closer to the World Championships medal after securing a place in the quarterfinals. The Indian boxer delivered a clinical performance to out-punch two-time Olympian Jucielen Cerqueira Romeu of Brazil with a unanimous 5-0 verdict in their 57kg round of 16 bout.
This victory was a repeat of their gold medal clash at the Astana tournament in July, which Jaismine had narrowly won. This time, however, she left no room for doubt. Jaismine controlled the ring with her footwork and landed scoring shots, frustrating the aggressive Brazilian. Her win now sets up a quarterfinal bout against Khumorabonu Mamajonova of Uzbekistan, a formidable opponent who is the reigning Asian Under-22 champion.
While Jaismine celebrated her success, it was a day of mixed fortunes for the Indian contingent. World youth champions Sakshi Chaudhary (54kg) and Sanamacha Chanu (70kg) both exited the competition after losing their pre-quarterfinal matches. Sakshi was defeated by Paris Olympics silver medallist Hatice Akbas of Turkey with a 0-5 verdict, a result largely due to a two-point deduction for holding her opponent in the first period. Sanamacha was also beaten 0-5 by Kazakhstan’s Natalya Bogdanova.
In the men's section, Abhinash Jamwal (65kg), a World Boxing Cup silver medalist, kept his campaign alive by advancing to the pre-quarterfinals. Jamwal, who had a first-round bye, secured a comfortable 5-0 victory over Mexico's Hugo Barron. He will now face Fernando de Jesus Piter of the Dominican Republic in his next match.
The results highlight the challenges and opportunities for the Indian team at the World Championships. With several boxers still in the running, including Abhinash Jamwal and the four others who will be competing later today, the contingent remains hopeful of a strong showing at the inaugural event, which is being held under the newly formed international governing body, World Boxing.