Federation boxing: Usha props Andhra's gold rush

Former Asian Champion Nagisetty Usha clinched one of the two gold medals for Andhra Pradesh but it was All India Police who walked away with the overall honours in the Monnet Federation Cup Women's Boxing Championship in Nainital on Sunday.

All India Police bagged two gold medals, two silver and and equal number of bronze, while Andhra Pradesh took home the runners-up trophy with two gold and four bronze medals.

Hosts Uttarakhand claimed the third spot with a gold medal, four silver and two bronze medals.

The day started with the finals of the light flyweight category in which Krishna Thapa of Madhya Pradesh, a silver medallist at the 12th Nationals Championships, lost to Mamta of Manipur.

Mamta, who bagged a bronze medal at the Senior Nationals in October this year, won 29-11.

In the flyweight division, Andhra boxer Sonia Lather Singh continued her sublime form as she doused Vinita Mahar of Uttarakhand in a barrage of punches.

Singh, a National Championship silver medallist, was leading by an 18-point margin in the fourth round when the referee decided to spare Mahar of any further agony.

The lightweight category witnessed an enthralling competition between Usha and 2009 National Champion Preeti Beniwal of the All India Police team.

Both boxers started strongly, but Preeti managed to secure a two point advantage after the first two rounds of play (5-3).

But Nagisetty, a two-time silver medalist at the World Championships and a multiple National Champion, made use of her experience to get back in the game and levelled the score at 13-13.

Nagisetty triumphed on count back (40:33) to take the gold.