Shiva Thapa inched closer to adding a record fourth medal by entering the 60kg pre-quarterfinals while six other Indians advanced to the last-eight stage in the Asian Boxing Championships here on Saturday.
Thapa secured a thrilling 4-1 win over Korea's Kim Wonho and is now a couple of wins away from a medal to add to the Gold, Bronze and Silver he won in 2013, 2015 and 2017 editions respectively.
The Assam pugilist will next take on Kyrgyzstan's Seitbek Uulu for a place in the quarter-finals on Sunday.
2018 World Championships Bronze winner Lovlina Borgohain began her medal quest in an impressive fashion, outpunching Vietnam's Tran Thi Linh 5-0 to advance to the quarter-finals.
Up next on Monday for the 2019 Strandja Cup Bronze medallist is a stiff challenge in the form of Chinese Taipei's Chen Nien-Chin, to whom the Indian lost to in the semi-finals of the World Championships in New Delhi last year.
National champion and Makran Cup Gold medallist Deepak continued his good form at this elite event with yet another commanding 5-0 win over Sri Lanka's Mutunaka Pedi Gedara.
The only loss of the day for the Indian contingent was in women's 48kg where debutant Nitu succumbed to a 1-4 defeat to Taipei's Pin Meng-Chieh.