India’s comeback-man Akhil Kumar (60kg) pummelled his Nepalese rival Purna Bahadur Lama before notching up a Technical Knockout win to give Indian boxers a good start on Wednesday.
Earlier in the afternoon, Shiva Thapa (56kg) advanced to the next round having won a walkover after his opponent, Leonel Helo Prada of Timor Leste, failed to turn up for the match.
The 33-year-old Akhil, a former Commonwealth Games gold-medallist, who returned to international competition after a three-year, injury-forced hiatus, was dominant from the word go.
With his trademark open guard, the Haryana boxer went after his overtly cautious rival, who looked hesitant in attack and equally unsure in defence.
The opening round ended with Akhil leading Lama 30-24 after shaking him up with a flurry of uppercuts, targetting the Nepalese's torso.
Lama faced the standing eight count twice during the opening three minutes itself.
The second round followed a similar script with Lama even more intimidated by his experienced rival. The Nepalese boxer faced one more standing eight count before Akhil sealed it 30-25.
It was halfway into the final three minutes when the referee decided that Lama had taken enough of a pounding and stopped the contest declaring Akhil the winner in a Technical Knockout.
Image: Akhil Kumar
Photograph: Cameron Spencer/Getty Images
