Jadumani outclasses home favourite to enter pre-quarters

Unburdened by the need to shed 10 kg before every bout, India’s Jadumani Singh registered a facile win against local favourite Aaron Cullen in the men’s 55kg contest at the Commonwealth Games here on Friday.

Fighting in front of a partisan crowd, Jadumani was technically and tactically too strong for Cullen, beating the Scot by a unanimous decision to move to the pre-quarters, where he will take on Sumama Rehman of Pakistan. For years, every tournament began with a battle before Jadumani Singh even stepped into the ring.

The reigning national boxing champion would routinely shed nearly 10 kilograms to squeeze into the men’s 50kg category, sacrificing strength, recovery and peace of mind in pursuit of success. “I was confident that I could do well in 55kg. Now I’ve had the experience of two-three competitions in this category and become the champion. So I feel better than before,” Jadumani had told PTI. That confidence was evident from the opening bell. Despite conceding a height advantage to Cullen, Jadumani dictated the pace with his aggressive approach, repeatedly stepping inside with crisp jabs and quick combinations.

He neutralised the Scotsman’s reach advantage and landed the cleaner punches to comfortably pocket the opening round. Cullen attempted to use the vocal home support to mount a comeback, but Jadumani remained composed, mixing sharp counters with intelligent footwork to keep his opponent on the back foot.

The Indian maintained the pressure in the final round as well, leaving little doubt over the outcome before all five judges awarded him the contest by unanimous decision. It was an assured start to Jadumani’s Commonwealth Games campaign and another indication that his move up in weight has made him a stronger and more confident boxer.