Sakshi upsets Olympic medallist, Jadumani also wins; duo enters Asiad last-16
Indian boxer Sakshi Chaudhary (51kg) pulled off a major upset by defeating Paris Olympics bronze-medallist Aira Villegas of the Philippines to enter the pre-quarterfinals, while Commonwealth Games silver-medallist Jadumani Singh (55kg) also advanced to the round of 16 at the Asian Games here on Tuesday.
The 26-year-old Sakshi, a Bhiwani boxer, used her height and reach effectively to keep Villegas at bay and secure a convincing 5-0 victory in the round-of-32 bout.
Jadumani also began his campaign with a dominant 5-0 win over Nepal's Chandra Bahadur Thapa to book his place in the last 16, where he will face Tokyo Olympics silver-medallist Carlo Paalam of the Philippines.
Sakshi dictates with her jab
After a cautious opening, Sakshi used her jab to control the bout and keep the Filipino at a distance.
She raised the tempo in the second round, unleashing a flurry of punches as Villegas struggled to match her movement and pace.
The Filipino southpaw landed a couple of sharp left hooks on the counter and attempted to step up the pressure in the final round, but Sakshi had done enough. All five judges awarded her a perfect 10 in each round.
Sakshi's victory adds to an impressive run since she moved down to 51kg from 54kg in May. She defeated two-time world champion and previous edition's bronze-medallist Nikhat Zareen in the selection trials before winning gold at the Commonwealth Games last month.
She now faces another difficult challenge against reigning world champion Alua Balkibekova of Kazakhstan in the round of 16.
Jadumani overwhelms Thapa
Jadumani relied on his trademark high-tempo, aggressive style to dispatch Thapa.
The two boxers exchanged punches early on, but Jadumani's combinations were cleaner and more accurate. He combined sharp counters with constant movement around the ring, repeatedly evading Thapa's attacks and forcing the Nepalese boxer onto the back foot.
A left hook from Jadumani landed flush in the third round, prompting the referee to give Thapa a standing count.
The Indian's pace and accuracy ensured he remained in control throughout the bout and secured a unanimous 5-0 verdict.
