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Akash Kumar ensures India’s first medal at World Boxing Championships
The youngster put up a dazzling show to enter the bantamweight (54kg) semi-finals in Belgrade, which assures him of at least bronze.
Akash Kumar dazzled with his burst of speed and relentless attacks to upset 2016 Rio Olympics bronze medallist Yoel Finol in the quarter-finals and ensure India’s first medal at the World Boxing Championships in Belgrade, Serbia, on Tuesday.
The 21-year-old bantamweight fighter made a terrific start, going all out with his punches, and kept up the intensity throughout the three rounds. Such was his confidence that he was teasing Finol to have a go at him, lowering his guard. The flurry of blows from Kumar kept getting heavier as the bout progressed and a unanimous verdict saw him through to the semi-finals.
He became only the seventh Indian to win a world championship medal. India returned with two medals from the previous edition—Amit Panghal (51kg) won silver and Manish Kaushik (63kg) bronze. Five Indians made it to quarter-finals this time.
The punches in the ring seem easier to handle for Kumar than the blows life has dealt him so far. In October, while he was competing in the senior nationals in Bellary, his ailing mother died. His brother is serving a prison term. The family did not inform him of the bereavement till he returned home with the national title, punching his ticket for the world championships.
“It was a very important phase in his career and we did not want him to get affected. He was shattered but he had to represent the country, which his mother always wanted, and he wanted to give his best,” says uncle Bhanwar Singh.
A young Kumar was initiated into boxing in 2008 by his wrestler father, who died the same year. Kumar and his brother, Suraj, who won medals at youth level, were raised by his uncle in Bhiwani’s Paluwas village and trained under Sanjay Sheoran in Captain Hawa Singh Boxing Academy. When Bhiwani made headlines in 2008 with Vijender Singh's bronze medal feat in Beijing, Kumar was inspired.
“He had just started boxing when Bhiwani came in the limelight with Vijender’s medal. Vijender’s village is also nearby. Everyone was talking about boxing. It made a big impact on Akash,” says Singh.
Childhood coach Sheoran says Kumar was fearless from the start. “He had very good speed and power in his punches and never held himself back. The two brothers and their cousin (Bhanwar Singh’s son) who is now in the Army, used to train together,” says Sheoran.
After winning the most important bout of his life, Kumar dedicated the medal to his parents. “This medal means the world to me. This is my first big tournament and I am extremely proud and emotional. I want to dedicate it to my parents. I will try my best to bring home the gold,” he says. “Our strategy was to be on attack mode to win the first round; then in the next rounds, the aim was to counter-attack and keep the flurry of punches.”
Narender Berwal (+92kg) lost to Azerbaijan’s Mahammad Abdullayev 5-0 in the quarter-finals.
