Wildcard boxer Bidhuri assured of Worlds medal
HAMBURG: Wild card entrant Gaurav Bidhuri became only the fourth Indian boxer ever to secure himself a medal in the World Championships after he defeated Tunisia’s Bilel Mhamdi to enter the semifinals of the mega-event. Ga ur av prevailed in a split decision in the bantamweight (56kg) quarterfinal contest to make the last-four stage, becoming the second from the country to do so in his debut world championship. The only other Indian to have achieved the feat was Vikas Krishan, in 2011.
“It is so, so surreal. I was a wildcard entry and now I am a medal list. Everything has happened so quickly for me, my brain will take some time to process all this,” Gaurav said.
Besides Vik as, Vi jen der Singh (2009) and Shiva Thapa (2015) have been the country’s only other medallists at the marquee event of the sport. But they have all settled for bronze medals and it remains to be seen if Gaurav can better them on that.
“I am going to create bigger history now by winning a better medal than bronze. I have been dealing with a back problem for the last eight months, (but) somehow kept going and finally I have been rewarded, it is just so overwhelming right now,” said the boxer, who will face American Duke Ragan in the semifinals after tomorrow’s rest day.
But there was slight disappointment as well for the con- tingent when Amit Phangal (49 kg ), another impressive debut an tin the event, bowed out in the quarterfinal stage.
The Asian Championships bronze-medallist went down to Olympic champion and second seed Hasanboy Dusmatov of Uzbekistan in an unanimous verdict, ending what has been a fine campaign for the 21-year-old.
Ga ur av, who has been battling a back niggle for the last eight months, took the ring next for India and was on the offensive from the word go.
He had his opponent on the rope son more than one occasion with his combination punches and also left himwith acut on his forehead in the opening round.