Debutant Manisha stuns title contender
New Delhi: Veteran L Sarita Devi and rookie Manisha Mouna gave India a flying start in the women's World Boxing Championships with dominating victories in their respective bouts here on Friday.
While Manisha punched above her weight to outclass veteran American Christina Cruz in an unanimous verdict in 554kg, 2006 edition gold medallist Sarita (60kg) had to work harder to emerge 4-0 winner on points against Diana Sandra Brugger of Switzerland in their opening bouts at the K D Jadhav Stadium here.
Both Sarita and Manisha advanced to the prequarterfinals where they will face Kellie Herrington of Ireland and Dina Zholaman of Kazakhstan respectively on Sunday.
Harrington had won a silver in 64kg in the 2016 World Championships but she has gone one weight category down in this tournament. She beat Troy Garton of New Zealand on Friday. Zholaman is the defending world champion but Manisha has beaten her in the Silesian Women's Boxing championship in Poland earlier this year.
The 20-year-old Manisha from Haryana, who was making her debut in the World Championships, was in complete control during the first round bout against the American who is almost twice her age. The 36-year-old Cruz from New York was the last edition's bronze medallist besides winning the same colour of medal in 2012 also.
Manisha, who had won a gold in the India Open and a silver in the Poland event this year, was the clear winner as she dominated all the three rounds. The five judges gave her a unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-26, 30-26, 29-28).
Manisha's mother Usha Rani and grandmother Saroj Devi, who had come all the way from Kaithal, were at the stands to watch her bout. "I am very proud for winning my first bout in the World Championships. I have proved that I can be at this stage. I will give my best and see how far I can go. I am confident of doing well in the coming rounds," she said. "My next bout is against the world champion but I have beaten her in Poland. It will be tough but I can beat her," she added. Asked about the strategy for the bout, she said everything went according to plan.
"My coaches told me to play from a distance. Her (Cruz's) right was very strong so coaches told me to watch here right. I tried to miss her punches from the right and attacked from the left. That was the plan and I did just that," she said. "The first round was about observing my opponent and find out what to do and what not to do. In the second round, I went with the plan and I was able to land my punches. In the third round, I went for attack and gave the best attack and won the bout," she added.
