Indus Valley Times

NEW DELHI, AUG 7: India’s Amit Panghal won Gold in the men’s 51kg category in boxing at the Commonwealth Games, bouncing back strongly from his Tokyo Olympics disappointment. The numero uno in the category proved his top billing right with a powerful performance in the final against Kiaran MacDonald of England in Birmingham on Sunday, August 7.

Despite the crowd cheering on for the local boxer, Amit Panghal brought out his A game, landing heavy punches, including one-twos as MacDonald failed to use his height advantage.

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Amit Panghal won the men’s 51kg final by unanimous decision 5-0. He was so dominant in the first two rounds and it gave him the luxury to just play out the final round. Amit punched the air in delight after winning his maiden Commonwealth Games Gold.

Panghal, who stands at just 5 feet and 2 inches, is the first and only Indian male boxer to win a World Boxing Championships silver medal. Born in a farming family based in Rohtak, Haryana, Panghal took inspiration from his elder brother Ajay to become a boxer.

Panghal started as a light-flyweight (49kg) boxer and went onto win the 2017 Asian Championships bronze, which marked his first major medal. After this, he won the Commonwealth Games silver and Asian Games gold, with both coming in 2018.

it’s the second CWG medal for Amit as he improved on his silver medal-winning show from Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast 4 years ago.

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Amit, who had headed into the Tokyo Olympics as one of the firm favourites, suffered a shock loss in the Round of 16. However, the win in Birmingham will give the young boxer the confidence to dream about a medal at Paris 2024.

Panghal stormed into the Commonwealth Games final after beating Zambian Patrick Chinyemba, who is a Tokyo 2020 Olympian, by unanimous decision in the men’s 51kg flyweight semifinal. This was Panghal’s second consecutive Commonwealth Games final, having won the silver medal at the 2018 Gold Coast.

During the 2022 semifinal bout, Panghal was initially defensive as he circled the ring and invited Chinyemba to attack. However, when the Zambian went for the punches, Panghal not only successfully dodged them but replied with a couple of counterpunches.

The second round was more aggressive but neither managed to convince the judges to move ahead. Panghal continued his momentum in the final round as his counterpunches landed accurately and it eventually earned him a unanimous decision.

-The India Today