Shiva Thapa, Sachin Siwach Shine on Day 2 of the 8th Elite Men’s National Boxing Championship  

BAREILLY

Shiva Thapa, the reigning Welterweight (60-65kg) champion, began his title defence at the 8th Elite Men’s National Boxing Championship with a dominant 5-0 victory over Enayat Khan. Thapa, who made history as the youngest Indian boxer to qualify for the Olympics in London in 2012, set a strong tone for his campaign.

Also in the spotlight, former World Youth Boxing Champion Sachin Siwach marked his entry with a convincing 5-0 win for the Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) against Akshay.

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The tournament, organised by the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) in collaboration with the Uttar Pradesh Boxing Association, is being held at Invertis University, Bareilly, from January 7-13, 2025. Nearly 300 boxers from across India are competing in various weight categories.

Session three of Day 2 saw a thrilling Flyweight (47-50kg) contest, with Devansh Solanki of Rajasthan defeating Uttar Pradesh’s Vikas Singh by unanimous decision. In another exciting bout, Ashutosh Yadav of Chhattisgarh delivered a dominant Round 1 performance to overcome Gujarat’s Akleem Khan.

With up to 10 boxers per team, the tournament follows the World Boxing Technical & Competition Rules, with three three-minute rounds and one-minute rest periods. SSCB, the two-time defending champion, continues to pose a strong challenge for its third consecutive title.