Veteran Mary Kom and 2019 Worldchampionship silver medalist Amit Panghal sealed their spots at the 2020 TokyoOlympic Games with slightly contrasting wins in Amman, Jordan, on Monday.
After a tight first round, the six-time World Champion overcame the Philippines' Irish Magno by a unanimous 5-0 decision (with 30-27 on three cards and 29-28 on the other two) in the women's 51kg quarter-final.
The London 2012 bronze medalistbooked her ticket for a second Olympic Games appearance and stormed into thesemis with a classic display of counter boxing. Her experience came to the forein the second and third rounds. She will now take on reigning Asian Games gold medalistYuan Chang of China in her quest for a spot in the final of this event.
Earlier, Panghal carved out a 4:1split decision verdict against Philippines Carlo Paalam in the men's 52kgquarter-finals of the Asia/Oceania Olympic Boxing qualifiers to make it to hisfirst Olympic Games. Their success has also taken the tally of Indian boxersqualifying for the Tokyo Olympics to seven.
Later on Monday, Manish Kaushik(63kg) went down fighting against third seed Chinzorig Baatarsukh of Mongoliabut is still in contention for a spot in the Olympics. Baatarsukh is a 2018Asian Games silver-medallist besides being a two-time podium finisher at theAsian Championships but he had lost to the Indian at the World Championshipslast year. The Mongolian got his revenge with an aggressive display in anenthralling quarter-final bout that the Indian started on the front foot.Chinzorig's brilliant third round proved decisive in the end.
Kaushik also remains in contentionfor an Olympic berth if he can win the box-off between losing quarterfinalistsas the top six boxers will claim Tokyo tickets in the 63kg category.
Earlier Panghal, the top-seededIndian boxer, didn't start strongly in the quarter-finals and Paalam made themost of the opportunity to take the opening round. It looked like Panghal wasunder pressure even in the second as the Philippines boxer did well to use theleft-right combination to keep his opponent at bay.
But the experienced Panghal's counter-punching tactics bore fruit as he landed decisive punches in the final minute of the second round. The Indian continued with a similar strategy even in the third and final round to ultimately register his third straight victory over Paalam and make it to Tokyo.
"I dedicate my Olympic quota to myuncle Raj Narayan, it's his birthday and he is someone who gives me a lot ofcourage," said Panghal after his bout.
"I followed the instructions givenby my coaches. I ensured that he didn't get on top of me. I think I was prettyconsistent in all three rounds," Panghal said.
Next up for Panghal is China's Jiangnan Hu, who stunned world bronze-medalist and fourth seed Kazakh Saken Bibossinov 5-0.
"I have beaten him in the AsianChampionships and I know how to get the better of him," Panghal said of hisnext opponent.
Kaushik, who was up against an AsianGames silver-medalist, started well but lost steam in the face of relentlessbody shots by Baatarsukh, a two-time podium finisher at the AsianChampionships.
Baatarsukh had lost to Kaushik in the second round of the world championships last year and he exacted revenge with an aggressive takedown of the Indian, especially in the final three minutes.
Kaushik will face Harrison Garsideof Australia in the box-off bout on 11 March. Former junior world championSakshi Chaudhary (57kg) failed to secure an Olympic berth after going down toKorea's Im Aeji in the women's 57 kg quarter-finals.
The 19-year-old Chaudhary lost 0-5to Im, who is also a former world youth champion. Only the semifinalists areentitled to an Olympic berth in the women's 57kg category.
Im will face Japan's 19-year-oldIrie Sena, who upstaged world champion and top seed Nesthy Petecio ofPhilippines in a split decision. Petecio was docked a point for holding in thesecond round which ultimately played a decisive role in her 2-3 loss.
