Olympic dream at risk, Amit to shift weight category

NEWDELHI: Amit Panghal is yet to come to terms with the newfound fame after winning India’s only gold in boxing at the Jakarta Asian Games. It was evident on Tuesday as the Haryana boxer, shooting for a government campaign in a swanky hotel, had to give numerous ‘takes’ to get the perfect shot.

It was as if the 22-year-old yearned to go back to the boxing ring, where he has taken down opponents in a single ‘take’, like in his Asian Games debut.

However, the next time, the Armyman goes back to training, he will have to start afresh.

After competing in the 49kg light flyweight category for the last couple of years, Amit will now shift to the 52kg flyweight category.

The reason is the International Boxing Association (AIBA) might drop the category from the 2020 Olympics, after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) asked it bring down the number of men’s weight categories.

“It will be hard. Though I have sparred with 52kg boxers during training, competing in this weight class will be different. I will have to increase power and strength,” said Amit.

At the Asian Games in Jakarta, India were represented by Gaurav Solanki in 52 kg, and he lost in the first round.solanki had won gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games, where Amit had got silver in 49kg.

OLYMPIC BLOW

Santiago Nieva, India’s boxing high-performance director, said removal of the weight category will be a blow to India’s medal chances.

“Amit’s victory over Olympic champion Hasanboy Dusmatov made him a favourite for the 2020 Tokyo. But they (AIBA) are probably going to remove the weight category. AIBA will have its Congress in November, where the decision is going to be taken. The IOC will have to ratify the decision then,” said Nieva, a threestar coach from AIBA coaches’ commission.

The AIBA had in February asked the IOC to retain all 10 weight classes.

But after the IOC threatened to scrap boxing from the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, following accusations of alleged corruption in AIBA, boxing’s world body may not want to take on the top authorities.

ASIAN SHOW

Amit’s weight category is not something Nieva is concerned about. India won two medals in boxing at the Asian Games, a significant fall from 2014 Incheon (five medals) and 2010 Guangzhou (nine medals).

“We expected more medals. The competition shows the powerhouse the Asian continent is in amateur boxing. The important aspect was that in the lower weight categories more countries won medals this time. For India, it’s the lower weight categories that fetched us maximum medals,” said Nieva.

“It isn’t India alone who suffered. Even Kazakhstan, who had two world champions in their ranks, could get only two medals. It shows the way forward for us. In three to four years, we need to be strong in all weight categories. We have earlier won medals in heavyweight and super-heavyweight categories at the CWG level, but we need to do it consistently,” he said.

Nieva felt lower-rung boxers should get more competition.

“In India, the No 1 and No 2 boxer in a particular weight category get to compete regularly. We need to increase that to 4 or 5. That will give us a bigger pool.”

It will be hard. I have sparred with 52kg boxers during training, competing in this weight class will be different. AMIT PANGHAL, India boxer