Indian Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain assured India of another boxing medal at the Asian Games after defeating South Korea’s 2010 Asian Games bronze medallist Seong Suyeon in the women’s 75kg quarterfinal in Aichi-Nagoya on Monday.
Lovlina defeated Seong 5-0 by unanimous decision to enter the semifinal.
Both boxers started aggressively in the opening round, exchanging punches without focusing heavily on defence. Lovlina gained the advantage as all five judges awarded her the round 10-9.
Seong came out attacking in the second round, but Lovlina effectively stepped away from her punches and responded with counterattacks. The Indian also connected with several jabs to Seong’s jaw to take the round 5-0 and extend her lead.
Lovlina maintained the momentum in the third round, landing quick one-two combinations and putting Seong under sustained pressure. The judges again awarded the round to the Indian by a unanimous 5-0 decision, giving Lovlina a 30-27 victory.
With the win, Lovlina has confirmed another boxing medal for India at the ongoing Asian Games.
Earlier, Parveen Hooda also secured a medal for India after winning her women’s 65kg quarterfinal on Sunday.
Parveen defeated Uzbekistan’s World Championships silver medallist Navbakhor Khamidova 5-0 by unanimous decision. She won the three rounds 4-1, 5-0 and 5-0 to register a comprehensive victory.
Parveen had won a bronze medal at the 2022 Asian Games, but the medal was later rescinded following a doping violation. She has now reached the semifinals and remains in contention for the gold medal.
In the men’s 80kg category, Ankush Panghal had also assured India of a medal after defeating Tajikistan’s Nekruz Salimov 5-0 in the quarterfinals on Sunday.
Ankush produced a strong display, with his speed and punching giving him the advantage throughout the bout.
-ANI
