World number one Vijender Singh (75kg) fought through a bleeding nose to clinch his first international gold medal in two years as Indian pugilists made a clean sweep in the finals to win the overall team title at the fifth Commonwealth Boxing Championships in New Delhi today.
With Asian champion Suranjoy Singh (52kg), South Asian Games gold medallist Amandeep Singh (49kg), Asian silver medallist Jai Bhagwan (60kg) and Paramjeet Samota (+91kg) also triumphing in the finals, it turned out to be an all-win day for the hosts in front of a houseful crowd.
The gold rush started early for the Indians when Olympian Dinesh Kumar (81kg) got a walkover against Scot Callum Johnson, who was declared medically unfit due to a right wrist injury this morning.
In the last bout of the day, Olympic and World Championship bronze medallist Vijender thrashed England's Frank Buglioni 13-3 despite a bloodied nose.
"I was scared that the bout may be stopped and I would be declared medically unfit. Bleeding was just not stopping. I was constantly looking at the judges to see what they might do," said the 24-year-old Haryana boxer, who was adjudged the best boxer of the tournament.
"A gold medal after two years (the last being at the Chemistry Cup in Germany in 2008) is obviously very satisfying," added the strapping six-footer, who started the year with a silver in an invitational tourney in China in January.
{{/usCountry}}"A gold medal after two years (the last being at the Chemistry Cup in Germany in 2008) is obviously very satisfying," added the strapping six-footer, who started the year with a silver in an invitational tourney in China in January.
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