Nainital: National Games bronze medalist A Punyavathi of Andhra Pradesh drubbed Ritu Ranga of Haryana in the light fly weight division in the 2011 N.C. Sharma Memorial Federation Cup Women's Boxing Championship which got underway here on Thursday.
The 20-year-old boxer started off slow but soon gathered pace in the second round to take the game away from Ranga. She went on to make her place in the semis with an 8-4 victory on points. P Nirosha, playing for Mizoram, also secured a place in the round of four of the same weight class, with a victory over Mamta Devi of the All India Police team. A silver medalist at the second Inter-Zonal Women's National Championship, Nirosha was down to a two-point deficit after the second round.
However, the beginning of the third saw the 19-year-old shift gears and overpower her opponent. She leveled the scores in the third and took a comprehensive lead in the fourth. Nirosh won 17-12 on points. In the bantam weight category, silver medal winner at the 11th senior nationals last year, Geeta Solanki of Delhi edged past Pooja Pannu of Haryana. In what turned out to be a hard fought contest, Geeta managed to squeeze a one point lead in the third round after being down in the first two. She held on to the advantage in the fourth and secured an 8-7 win to make a place in the semis.
Brig PK Muralidharan Raja, secretary general of the Indian Boxing Federation, believes these tournaments plays a vital role in development of a boxer and are aimed at strengthening the level of boxing in the country. "The Federation Cup brings out the best teams in the nation and provides a heightened level of pugilism. It is a unique format that helps in the development of an athlete and also aids in identifying new crop of boxers," he said.
The incentive of an Olympic medal has seen a surge in the bank of women boxers India has to offer. Ever since the International Olympic Committee (IOC) decided to include women's boxing in the Olympics program, the sport has acquired a new found momentum in Indian and across the world. Even domestic tournaments in the women’s circuit are now being contested with renewed vigour, with boxers and teams fighting it out to be counted among the best in the national.
The Women's Federation Cup has provided state and board teams the opportunity to beat the best in the business. Since its inception seven years ago the tournament has witnessed top teams in the country pitted against each other in a battle for the coveted title. The championship brings out the best state and board teams from the domestic arena. Apart from providing a perfect platform for current champions to prove their mettle the interstate championship, like the Federation Cup, provides ample opportunities for emerging boxers to display their skill and become an established name.
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