Akhil loses as Jai, Amandeep advance

It was a day of mixed results for India in the fifth Commonwealth Boxing Championship’s third day.

Many a times the things you are chasing the most keep eluding you the most. Akhil Kumar would have not yearned for anything else than a victory on Sunday - to taste the triumph after a long span, to prove his critics wrong and to justify his bluntness.

But, he and India supporters, who had turned up in a decent number as compared to the previous days, were in for a rude shock when the iconic boxer bowed out to a much younger Ian Weaver of England in the pre-quarterfinal round of the bantam weight (56kg) category of the fifth Commonwealth Boxing Championship at Talkatora Stadium.

Akhil's last major recognition had come in the shape of 2006 Commonwealth Games gold. He had last hogged limelight in 2008 when he prevailed over world champion Sergey Vodopyanov in the Beijing Olympics' round of 16. And, Akhil was looking forward to end that draught in front of home crowd, in a tournament where he won a gold in 2005. Well, it wasn't meant to be.

The 28-year-old Indian had started well. Pleasing the spectators with his familiar open-guard style, Akhil had taken a 3-0 lead in the first round. But in the dying moments of the round, 20-year-old Weaver stunned Akhil and snatched two points. The following round was a complete mayhem as both the boxers used every trick of the trade to get hold of the lead. Weaver succeeded and entered the final round with score of 7-6 in his favour.

Akhil completely lost the script in the third round and as his desperation led to frustration; he went on a wild goose chase for points. Weaver, competing in his first major senior international tournament since graduating from the youth level last year, however, proved too serene for his age. He kept his calm throughout and put the lid on the tie 12-6 in his favour.

"I don't understand why my uppercuts didn't get counted. As per the rules, every blow above the belt gets you points, but I am perplexed why I didn't get any," a dejected and agitated Akhil pointed out after the bout.

Meanwhile, Jai Bhagwan, who secured another medal for India by beating Josh Taylor of Scotland 7-1 to enter the semifinals of the light weight (60kg) category, also echoed Akhil's sentiments. "I felt that I should have been given a few points for my uppercuts," Jai said.

Akhil also complained that Weaver was not warned by the referee despite his gum-shield falling off during the bout. And, though national coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu first agreed with Akhil, he later clarified that a warning is not given when the gum-shield falls off for the first time. That clearly highlighted the lack of complete understanding of international rules among the coaching staff.

Weaver, meanwhile, said his homework stood him in good stead in the bout. "I expected him (Akhil) to play a better game. He is a very good boxer. But the two points that I got in the end of the first round changed it for me. This is certainly one of the biggest wins of my career," he said.

Also, Amandeep secured a sixth medal for the hosts as he outpunched Tanzania's Rajabu O Mbwana 9-1 in a lop-sided encounter in light-fly weight (49kg) category. There was another disappointment in store for India as Manpreet Singh lost to Scotland's Stephen Simmons 1-6 in the last bout of the day.

Results, Day 3: Light-fly weight (49kg): Bathusi Mogajane, Botswana, beat T.M.C. Thennakoon, Sri Lanka, 14-1; Iain Butcher, Scotland, lost to Peter Mungai, Kenya, 0-4; Rajabu O Mbwana, Tanzania, lost to Amandeep Singh, India, 1-9; M F B M Redzuan, Malaysia, beat Afzal Hossen, Mauritius, 7-2. Bantam weight (56kg): Bruno Julie, Mauritius, beat Muhammad Solihin, Singapore, 8-1; Akhil Kumar, India, lost to Ian Weaver, England, 6-12; Tirafalo Seoko, Botswana, beat Martin Oduor, Kenyak, 2-1; Michael Robens, Scotland, lost to MDK Wanniarachchi, Sri Lanka , 4-8. Light weight (60kg): Nort Beauchamp, New Zealand, lost to Joseph Njogh, Kenya 1-3; Valention Knowles, Bahamas, beat R.M.A.B Gunathilaka, Sri Lanka, 8-2; Josh Taylor, Scotland, lost to Jai Bhagwan, India, 7-1; Darren Edwalbs, Wales, lost to Daniel Phillips, England, 2-10. Light welter (64kg): Gomotsang Gaasite, Botswana, lost to Chirs Jenkins, Wales, 1-7; Hashim Petro, Tanzania, beat Leong Jun Hao, Singapore, 10-1; Anthony Taylor, New Zealand, lost to Scott Cardle, England, 3-5; Blackmoses Mathenge, Kenya, beat Richarno Colin, Mauritius. Heavy weight (91kg): Manpreet Singh, India, lost to Stephen Simmons, Scotland, 1-6.