Kaushik in national boxing quarters, on course to face Shiva Thapa
The prime contenders in the lightwelter category will meet in an anticipated semi-final clash if they win their next bout.
Manish Kaushik continued his comeback march with a resounding win over Sandeep Doni of Andhra Pradesh to move into the quarter-finals (63.5kg) of the Elite Men’s National Boxing Championships here on Tuesday. The 2019 World Championships bronze medallist remained on course for a high-profile clash with the seasoned Shiva Thapa.
The two have produced some riveting contests in lightwelter category at home in the 2018-19 seasons. Kaushik upstaged the seasoned Thapa in domestic competitions. Known for his technical skills and calm temperament, Kaushik soon established himself as India’s No.1 boxer in lightwelter.
Kaushik, who hails from India’s boxing hub Bhiwani, Haryana had a meteoric rise, claiming silver at the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games followed by the world championships bronze the next year. In no time, Kaushik punched his ticket for the Tokyo Olympics, where he fought hard but lost to Great Britain’s Luke McCormack in the first round.
It has since been downhill for the 26-year-old with injuries pegging him back. First, it was a tear in his biceps (right hand) suffered during the Olympic qualifiers in 2020. It required surgery and took a long time to heal. Then a lower back injury last year further spelt disaster. Though he was in the national camp, Kaushik was struggling to recover and regain his form of 2020.
In between, Thapa bounced back to cement his place in the India team and won silver at the Asian Championships in November, becoming the most successful male boxer in the tournament’s history. But ahead of an important season, Thapa and Kaushik's path looks set to cross again.
On Tuesday, Kaushik, representing Services, showed glimpses of his old self with a power-packed performance against Doni, the referee stopping the contest in the second round. Both Kaushik and Shiva will need to win another round for a mouth-watering match-up in the semi-finals. The last time they met in the trials for the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, Shiva was the winner.
“Manish was still not fully fit but gradually he has gained confidence. At the Nationals here he has looked sharp and hungry,” said Services coach Jai Singh Patil, who worked closely with Kaushik during his injury phase.
“When a boxer comes back from such a low phase, it takes time to find his rhythm in the ring. Even during the Services championships, he was not at his best. He was tentative. But in the last two bouts he has improved. Today, he has looked his best in a long time, showing good reflexes, speed and footwork. We expect a Shiva-Kaushik clash in the semi-final. In a way that will be the final,” Patil said.
Mohd Hussamuddin (57kg) and Gaurav Solanki (60kg) also cruised to the quarter-finals. Hussamuddin beat Lallawmawma by unanimous decision and Solanki beat Harendra Singh in his round-of-16 bout, also by the same margin.
