The Hindu : Diwakar Prasad too good for Kasina

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Tuesday, Oct 28, 2003

Sport

Sport - Afro-Asian Games

Diwakar Prasad too good for Kasina

By Our Special Correspondent

India's Diwakar Prasad acknowledges the cheers after being declared winner against Kenya's David Munyasia Kasina in the Afro-Asian games bantam weight (over 51kg) boxing competition. — Photo: Vino John

HYDERABAD Oct. 27 . The superiority of the host continent's boxers was very much in evidence on the third day of competition at the Swarnandhra Pradesh indoor stadium here on Monday.

Carrying the cause forward were pugilists from the former Soviet republics, the Koreans and of course the Indians.

Ferdie Gamo's footwork always kept him a step ahead against Malik Bouyiane. Parrying the Algerian's blows with panache, the former, a Filippino, was declared winner on a 2-1 decision from the jury, after the computer failed to record Bouyiane's score. This did not go down too well with the Algerian, who hung around in the ring well after the outcome to register his protest.

Bahodirjon Sooltonov, a Bangkok world championship bronze winner earlier this year, feinted and attacked with aplomb. The two-time world junior champion's fleet-footed approaches were marked by some stunning slugging against one smacking right from Dennis Bolum Nestor, a silver medallist himself from the recent all Africa games at Abuja.

Diwakar Prasad dropped to his knees early in the bout against David Munyasia Kasina. But that could have been just the ploy to stoop and conquer. Such was the barrage of blows he unleashed that he outscored his Kenyan rival in round three, meaning the Indian was found leading by more than 20 points, Kasina thus being outclassed.

It was a fist fest between Dilbagh Singh and Benamar Meskine. For the pounding the former got, the Indian had his Algerian adversary pinned to and between the ropes once. One right cross from Meskine had a jarring impact on Singh, who became the first Indian to lose, 17-26.

In the day's last bout, Harpal Singh brought the crowd back to its feet by outscoring Gregorio Capita B. Manuel. The Punjab Police inspector's long arms kept Manuel at bay. Nonetheless, the stocky Angolan penetrated the Indian's defences occasionally but without making much headway.

In the third round, Harpal went on the offensive, his opponent taking the count. Before long, the jury had decided that the strapping Harpal had outscored his rival.

The results (quarterfinals): Bantam weight (51 to 54 kgs): Ferdie Gamo (Phi) bt Malik Bouyiane (Alg) 2-1 (jury decision), Dennis Nestor Bolum (Ngr) lost to Bahodirion Sooltonov (Uzb) 16-34, Elongo Tasumba (Cgo) gave w/o to Won Il Kim (Kor), David Munyasia Kasina (Ken) lost to Diwakar Prasad (Ind) O.S.

Welter weight (64 to 69 kgs): Benamar Meskine (Alg) bt Dilbag Singh (Ind) 26-17, Ellis Chibuye (Zam) lost to Kim Jung Joo (Kor) 17-19, Bakhtiyar Artaev bt Mosolesa Tsie (Les) 17-15.

Heavyweight (81 to 91 kgs): Sergey Mihayilov (Uzb) bt Apostolos Eleftheriou (SA) 28-10.

Super heavyweight (over 91 kgs): Harpal Singh (Ind) bt Gregorio Capita B. Manuel (Ang) O.S.

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