India began its campaign at the U-19 Asian Boxing Championships in Jakarta, Indonesia, on a high note as World Boxing Futures Cup medalists Chandrika Pujari and Joyshree Devi secured decisive victories in their preliminary round matches on Sunday.
Chandrika and Joyshree Dominate Opening Bouts
Chandrika Pujari, a gold medalist from the World Boxing Futures Cup, outclassed Mongolia's Lakham Tsendbaatar in the girls' 51kg category, winning by a unanimous 5-0 decision. Her performance set the tone for the Indian contingent.
Joyshree Devi, who won silver at the Futures Cup, followed with an equally impressive display in the girls' 54kg division. She forced a second-round Referee Stopped Contest (RSC) against Chinese Taipei's Chen Ning Hong, advancing to the next round without going the distance.
Strong Indian Contingent in Jakarta
The Boxing Federation of India has fielded a robust squad of 40 boxers across the U-19 and U-23 categories, with 20 athletes competing in each age group. The championships serve as a crucial platform for India's emerging talent to test themselves against Asia's best, building on the country's recent success in continental competitions.
Upcoming U-23 Men's Bouts
India's campaign continues on Monday with four U-23 men's boxers scheduled to compete. Asian champion Vishwanath Suresh (50kg) will open against Uzbekistan's Amirbek Ismoilov. Ganga (55kg) faces Mongolia's Amgalanbaatar Bulgankhuu, while Sagar Jakhar (60kg) takes on Japan's Koichi Nakayama. Hitesh (70kg) rounds off the day's action against Chinese Taipei's Jun-Zhanglin.
According to a press release from the Boxing Federation of India, the team aims to build on its impressive start and maintain India's dominance on the continental stage.
