Asian Games gold medallist Amit Panghal started the season on a strong note as Indian boxers packed enough power into their punches to assure themselves of five medals in the 70th Strandja Memorial Boxing in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Sunday. Panghal assured a semifinal berth and medal after a closely contested 3-2 win over Ukraine’s Nazar Kurotchyn in the 49kg category. The Indian women pugilists too guaranteed four medals at the end of the third day at the prestigious tournament. Dahiya lost to Macedonia’s Jasin Ljama, the bout lasting just over a minute before the referee stopped the contest. India’s best medal haul at this European event was last year when the country snared 11 in all, two of them gold.

Source: Hindustan Times February 17, 2019 15:33 UTC