'If I fail to win a medal at Beijing I will be forgotten'
The fiercely fought match was awarded to the Haryana pugilist by the judges on points after the scores were level 9-9 at the end of four rounds.
The 27-year-old Indian trailed almost till the final moments but staged a remarkable turnaround through a wonderful display of aggression, accuracy and technique in the penultimate and final rounds.
After being down 1-2 in the first round, 3-4 in the second and 7-8 in the third, Akhil held his nerves and unleashed a flurry of straight punches, two of them bang on target.
The five-judge jury then decided in favour of the Indian, leaving a stunned World Champion in tears.
Akhil's quarter-final match is on Monday.
Photograph: AFP/Getty Images