Shiva Thapa, Sachin Siwach set the ring on fire on Day 2 of National Boxing Championship

India’s top boxers battle for supremacy in week-long showdown from January 7-13 in Bareilly

Shiva Thapa, the reigning Welterweight (60-65kg) champion from the previous edition, kicked off his title defence at the 8th Elite Men's National Boxing Championship with a commanding victory on Day 2.

Representing Assam, Thapa, who made history as the youngest Indian boxer to qualify for the Olympics at London 2012, defeated Enayat Khan 5-0 in his opening bout, setting a strong tone for his campaign.

Joining him in the spotlight, former World Youth Boxing Champion Sachin Siwach marked his entry into the championship with an emphatic 5-0 victory for the Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) against Akshay, displaying his readiness to compete for top honours.

Organised by the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) in association with the Uttar Pradesh Boxing Association, the week-long tournament is being held at Invertis University, Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, from January 7-13, 2025. Nearly 300 boxers, representing state units across India, are competing for supremacy in various weight categories.

Session three of the tournament on Day 2 also witnessed a thrilling opening bout as Devansh Solanki of Rajasthan defeated Uttar Pradesh's Vikas Singh with a unanimous decision in the Flyweight (47-50kg) category. In the same category, Ashutosh Yadav of Chhattisgarh delivered a dominant Round 1 performance to overcome Gujarat's Akleem Khan, setting the stage for thrilling action across the day.

In Session 4, Team SSCB reinforced their dominance with victories across multiple categories. Hitesh Gulia, Deepak, Jugnoo, and Vishal showcased their skill and strength, securing wins in the Light Middleweight, Welterweight, Cruiserweight, and Heavyweight divisions, respectively. Rajasthan also demonstrated impressive form, with Priyadarshi Singh Ashiya (Light Middleweight), Pushpendra Singh (Cruiserweight), and Harsh Choudhary (Heavyweight) all emerging victorious against their opponents, highlighting the unit's overall mastery in the championship.

Representing their respective State Units, each team features up to ten boxers in bouts structured under the World Boxing Technical & Competition Rules, with three three-minute rounds and one-minute rest periods in between rounds. A 10-points-must scoring system is in effect throughout the championship.

Team SSCB (Services), the two-time defending champions, continues to pose a formidable challenge as they aim for their third consecutive title.

(With agency inputs)