New Delhi, Veteran boxer M.C. Mary Kom entered the quarter-finals while Sarita Devi lost her bout to crash out of the World Women’s Boxing Championship here on Sunday.
Mary registered a unanimous 5:0 win over Kazakhstan’s Aigerim Kassenayeva in the flyweight category (48kg). Sarita, on the other hand, lost by a 2:3 split decision to Ireland’s Kellie Anne Harrington in the lightweight 60kg category to bow out.
Apart from Mary, Manisha Moun, Lovlina Borgohain and Bhagyabati Kachari all marched into the quarterfinals on the fourth day of the championships.
In the first match, Mary started the first round on a positive note, landing a few punches and jabs without taking much risk.
The second round saw Mary displaying some attacking game. The veteran Indian boxer landed some powerful punches to take a much needed advantage.
In the third round, Aigerim tried to bounce back but it was too late as in the first two rounds she could not match the pace of the Indian boxer.
Mary will take on Wu Yu of China in the quarterfinals on Tuesday.
Talking after the bout, Mary said: “Feeling good, the pressure is off. I always enjoyed boxing, it has been my life whether I train or compete in tournaments,” said the mother of three children.
In the 69kg category, Sarita lost a close contest. Sarita showed some great moves. Towards the end Sarita pulled a lot of punches and also landed it on the mark but the umpires decision went in favour of her opponent.
“I thought I got unluckier. Some points did not go my way. But I will continue to box as long as I can,” said a dejected Sarita.
Among other players, Manisha outpunched her way to upstage reigning world champion Dina Zholaman from Kazakhstan with a unanimous 5:0 decision in the 54 kg pre-quarterfinals.
Equally impressive was Lovlina in her 69 kg pre-quarterfinal bout against Panama’s Atheyna Bylon, former world champion.
In the last bout of the afternoon, Baghyabati proved her prowess, beating Germany’s Irina-Nicoletta Schonberger in a split verdict (4:1) in the 81 kg category.
