India’s Gaurav Bidhuri (right) earned a unanimous win over Qatar’s Mostafa Hegazy in the flyweight category at the Doha International Boxing Tournament 2015 at Ali bin Hamad al-Attiyah Arena yesterday. PICTURES: Jayaram

 

Mikhil Bhat /Doha


As many as five Indians made it to the finals in their respective categories at the Doha International Boxing Tournament 2015 at Ali bin Hamad al-Attiyah Arena yesterday.
India had fielded seven boxers in as many categories and considering that they have not participated in an international tournament since Asian Games in Incheon last year, coach Gurbaksh Singh must be a satisfied man.
After India’s Devendro Singh Laishram received a walkover from Qatar’s Yahea al-Rafeek in the light fly category, four boxers, including Gaurav Bidhuri, Shiva Thapa, Manish Kaushik and Manoj Kumar fought their way to the finals.
Bidhuri earned a unanimous win over Qatar’s Mostafa Hegazy in the flyweight category. “I didn’t expect much of a fight and that’s what happened. I tried to keep testing myself by playing the three rounds with control,” Bidhuri said. “He wasn’t very experienced and I have been in top-flight boxing ‎for some time.”
Bidhuri will face Tunisia’s Montassar Bouali in the final and said he is confident of winning the gold. Bouali, for his part, too said he is battle ready. “I had been competing in another competition in Algeria before I came here. I am happy with my win today because he (Hassan Ali) is a tough fighter. I landed some solid punches,” he said.
The Tunisian added: “I’ve never fought Gaurav before. But I’d be very happy if I can win the gold tomorrow.” Thapa and Kumar posted unanimous wins over Tunisia’s Bilel Mhamdi and Egypt’s Eslam Ahmed Aly Mohamed respectively, while Kaushik beat Egypt’s Mahmoud Abdelaal by a 2-1 split decision.
Egypt’s Walid Said Mohamed Sedik handed the Indian contingent their first defeat in the tournament with a 2-1 split decision win in welterweight (69kg) category against Mandeep Jangra, a silver medallist at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, yesterday.
Sedik, who is one of three Egyptian boxers in the finals, will face off against Mohamed Amine Meskini of Tunisia in the final. Meskini, who was troubled little by Sri Lanka’s Niel Madusaka Hettiarachchilage in their semi-final bout, was confident ahead of the final.
“I have fought him before,” he said of Sedik. “It was less than a week ago and I beat him. I am confident I can do it again. After all, that is what a boxer hopes for.”
Sedik came all guns blazing against his Sri Lankan opponent yesterday, especially buoyed by the vociferous support of fans. “Support of your friends, crowd shouting for you, that is a big motivation and that is what gave me energy in the fight,” he said.
Daniel Lewis and Jason Whateley are the only Australian boxers (out of seven) who made it to the business end of the tournament. Lewis earned a 2-1 split decision win over India’s Vikas Krishan in the middle weight category yesterday, while Whateley went past Qatar’s Amir Alsaae in the heavyweight category by a split decision 2-1.
“The bout was pretty good. He was a tough opponent,” Lewis said about Krishan. “I think the things that I had been working on in the training have paid off. So a good one for me.” Lewis has never faced his finals opponent Abdulridha Waheed of Iraq before. “He will be a good opponent. I have watched him fight. So should be a good one.”
Waheed beat Morocco’s Youness Gharroumi to reach the finals. Whateley will face Jordan’s Ihab al-Matbouli, who beat Egypt’s Ahmed Abdulkader Amro yesterday, in the final today. With Alsaae’s loss, the Qatari challenge in the tournament came to an end. The hosts had five boxers in the semifinal round.
Talking about the performance of Qatari boxers, national team coach Qatar coach Juanito Carlos Basnueva said, “Our boxers have improved a lot over time. Earlier when they use to play with Morocco, Egypt, other countries, they would barely last the entire match. Now they are looking to finish the match. Like this match (Alsaae vs Whateley), it was a split decision. Physical preparation is an area we need to work on, but the climate here now is not conducive for it.”
In the last bout of the day, Sri Lanka’s Lahiru Tharanga Bandara Rathnadiwak ensured a representation for the island country on the final day of the tournament. The 22-year-old, participating in his first international tournament, beat Morocco’s Couscous Mohamed to reach the super heavyweight category final.
“It was really hard. I had hoped to win and that is what I did. Tomorrow I hope to get the gold medal. Even though I am the only Sri Lankan in the finals, I am not under any pressure. I will definitely do my best,” said 22-year-old Lahiru Tharanga Bandara Rathnadiwak, who is participating in his first international tournament.

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