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Manoj rings in hope with big scalp
RIO DE JANEIRO: To think of it, it’s just the first round. But given that we don’t seem to have too much else to celebrate these games, even a first round win against
RIO DE JANEIRO: To think of it, it’s just the first round. But given that we don’t seem to have too much else to celebrate these games, even a first round win against a credible opponent is a straw worth clutching on to.
Manoj Kumar beat London bronze medalist Evald as Petrauskas (in 60kg) of Lithuania by a 2-1 split decision in their 64kg welterweight bout to bring some cheer to the gloom that surrounds Indian boxing.
The win deserves cheering for the pathetic state of boxing in India now that there is only an ad-hoc committee managing it instead of a full fledged federation. The Indian boxing federation is in the dock and suspended by the international body for the last four years on account of suspect elections. That, in turn, has led to a situation wherein there has been no concrete training programme or support for Indian pugilists since the London Games.
While we had eight in the fray last Olympics, at Rio there are only three boxers. So, while it was just a first round win and far from any medal, Manoj’s effort on Wednesday night becomes all the more special.
Competing in international meets should be the norm in the run up to the Games. For Indian boxers it has become a novelty. Financial support for training is an obvious. But with no official national association to navigate the labyrinth of bureaucratese in the sports ministry.
Manoj Kumar was one of the last-minute inclusions in the government’s much touted Target Olympic Podium Scheme (TOPS). The efficacy of that project is falling flat in Rio but as far as Manoj is concerned even that last gasp effort was great and he says it really aided him in this victory. He and Shiva Thapa had trained in Sheffield (UK) just before the Games and that exposure added finesse to his craft. “Sheffield was really good for us. We at least got a lot of bouts against many boxers. The exposure helped my match sharpness,” Kumar said later.
Manoj seemed to be in control of the encounter till the third round saw the Lithuanian launch into a barrage of punches as he looked to settle the argument with force. Manoj darted about in defence. Another boxer from the sport’ s cradle in Bhiwani, Manoj see me data bit of a loss to explain just what his strategy was going into the match.
“What strategy?” he said after his bout .“Once you get hit by powerful punch es you are rattled. You don’ t think strategies. You don’t figure in strength sand weaknesses .” It became a matter of survival, a bit like a street fight. “You just get down to basics and try and hit yourself out of the corner. All I thought was about how to win. I took advantage of his short height.”
Petrauskas has moved up from the 60kg. It’s easy to put on weight but one can’t sprout inches. While Manoj is also just 5”8’, his superior reach was the deciding factor in this bout. He next runs into fifth seed Uzbek Fazlidd in Gaibnazarov in the pre-quarters. That bout’s scheduled for Sunday.