Deepak and Naman Tanwar spearheaded India’s campaign at the Thailand Open, securing two gold as part of an impressive eight-medal haul. Despite limited exposure, the Indian boxers delivered a standout week of performances while competing against tough international opponents.
Deepak clinched the men’s 75kg gold with a 5:0 win over Abdurakhimov Javokhir of Uzbekistan, while Naman Tanwar got the better of China’s Han Xuezhen 4:1 in the 90kg final.
In the women’s 80+kg final, Kiran went down 2:3 against Kazakhstan’s Yeldana Talipova in a keenly fought bout to settle for a silver.
Five Indian women boxers—Tamanna (51kg), Priya (57kg), Sanju (60kg), Saneh (70kg) and Lalfakmawii Ralte (80kg)—will return home with bronze medals.
On Sunday, Deepak opened India’s gold medal tally with a commanding win over Abdurakhimov. He was cautious at the start, but midway through the opening round, began taking control of the bout and then sailed through.
In the 90kg final, Tanwar adopted a different approach as he began aggressively against Han from the beginning and dominated the first two rounds. The Chinese fought back in the third as Tanwar began to play safe, but could not do enough to turn the tables.
However, a gesture that offended the Uzbekistan coach led to Indian boxer Anshul Gill’s disqualification after winning the semifinal bout. Following a formal complaint by the opposing team’s coach, Anshul (90+kg) was barred from receiving a medal.
India had fielded a 19-member strong contingent in the tournament that attracted talented boxers from powerhouses like China, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, South Korea, and host Thailand.
Indian boxers had won six medals, including one gold, in the World Boxing Cup in Brazil and will be gearing up for the second leg at the end of this month in Kazakhstan. The World Boxing Cup Finals will be played in New Delhi later this year.
