Dingko Singh storms into semi-final

Contrasting bouts, some lop-sided and others keenly fought, marked the third day of 48th Senior National boxing championships, even as Services's trump card Dingko Singh led their contingent into the last four.

On one hand, boxing enthusiasts saw close encounters, for instance, the one in the light-flyweight category featuring Rosama Colney of Services, who edged out Maharashtra's Girish Pawar 19-17.

On the other, there were dull contests, like in a lightweight category clash where veteran International pugilist Birju Shah of SPSB bowed out to a younger and swifter international Ramanand Purushottam of Services.

A confident Dingko today opted to guage his rival Kamal Mujtaba of Railways in the first three rounds before going for a last minute kill. The Asian Games gold medallist made Mujtaba, a junior international, dance to his tune and steadily increased his scoring from 6-4 in the second round to 9-4 in the third before closing the deal at 13-7.

Though Mujtaba cornered Dingko on a few occasions, Dingko shrugged off his moments of anticipation by landing right- straight punches and left hooks by breaking open his opponent's defences.

Not a single blow of Railways' boxer Mohammed Rasheed found the target as he was routed by international and current National champion Bhakiya Rajan of Services 11-0 in a welterweight category battle even as former national champion Sanjit Singh of Assam Rifles overcame Delhi's international Manoj Pawar 22-21 in an edge-of-the-seat thriller.