Boxers Deepak Bhoria (51kg), Mohammed Hussamudin (57kg) and Nishant Dev (71kg) scripted history as they ensured India’s best-ever haul of three medals by storming into the semi-finals of the men’s World Championships here yesterday.
The quarterfinal wins mean the three pugilists will take home at least a bronze medal each. India’s previous best show came in 2019 edition when Amit Panghal clinched an unprecedented silver and Manish Kaushik grabbed a bronze medal.
Kicking off the proceeding for India, Deepak defeated Nurzhigit Diushebaev of Kyrgyzstan in the quarters and will now face B. Bennama of France in the semi-finals on Friday.
Two-time Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Hussamundin then won against J. Diaz Ibanez of Bulgaria and will go up against Saidel Horta of Cuba in the semi-finals.
Nishant’s performance was the cherry on the cake as he knocked out Cuba’s Jorge Cuellar and the 22-year-old, who is the reigning national champion, will fight with Asian champion Aslanbek Shymbergenov of Kazakhstan for a place in the final.
India has so far won a total of seven medals in the previous editions — Vijender Singh (bronze, 2009), Vikas Krishan (bronze, 2011), Shiva Thapa (bronze, 2015), Gaurav Bidhuri (bronze, 2017), Panghal (silver, 2019), Kaushik (bronze, 2019) and Akash Kumar (bronze, 2021).
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