India’s Lovlina Borgohain (69kg) and debutant Jamuna Boro (54kg) marched into the quarterfinals of the World Women’s Boxing Championships with comprehensive victories in the pre-quarters at Ulan-Ude, Russia, yesterday. Borgohain is last edition’s bronze-winner.
Boro outpunched fifth-seeded Algerian Ouidad Sfouh, an African Games gold-medallist, in a unanimous verdict. The third-seeded Borgohain beat Morocco’s Oumayma Bel Ahbib, which was also a 5-0 win.
In the quarterfinals today, Boro will take on Germany’s Ursula Gottlob. Next up for Borgohain is sixth-seeded Karolina Koszewska. In all, five Indians have made the quarterfinals of the mega-event. Six-time champion and third seed M C Mary Kom (51kg), Manju Rani (48kg) and Kavita Chahal (81kg) are the other Indians to have made the last-eight stage.
Chahal is yet to take the ring and has got direct entry into the quarters thanks to the small size of the draw in her weight category.
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