Boxing: Hosts finish with 7 golds at India Open

New Delhi: M.C. Mary Kom lived up to her top billing but traditional powerhouses Cuba and Uzbekistan also showed their mettle on the final day of the India Open boxing tournament here on Thursday.

Mary Kom defeated Filipino Josie Gabuco 4-1 to lift the 48kg gold.

Pwilao Basumatary (64kg) was the first woman to win gold. The former world and Asian bronze medallist beat Thailand’s Sudaporn Seesondee 3-2.

Lovlina Borgohain claimed the welterweight (69kg) gold among women, getting the better of compatriot Pooja.

Commonwealth Games bronze-medallist Pinki Jangra (51kg) registered a unanimous victory over Mongolia’s Jargalan Ochirbat. Manisha (54kg) added to the gold rush for women by claiming the top honours against M. Meenakumari.

L. Sarita Devi (60kg) settled for silver, losing to Finland’s Mira Potkenon in the final. Sarita lost 2-3, unable to counter Potkenon’s final-round blitz.

In the men’s draw, Sanjeet (91kg) picked up India’s first gold of the day, upstaging Uzbekistan’s Sanjar Tursunov. He matched Tursunov punch for punch in an engrossing contest, getting a 3-2 verdict in his favour.

National champion Manish Kaushik (60kg), who stunned world and Asian medallist Shiva Thapa on Wednesday, didn’t have to step inside the ring to collect his gold.

Manish was given a walkover by his Mongolian opponent Battumur Misheelt, who pulled out owing to a cut sustained on his forehead during his semi-final.

Asian Games bronze medallist Satish Kumar (+91kg), settled for silver, getting outwitted by Uzbekistan’s Bakhodir Jalolov 4-1.

Dinesh Dagar claimed the welterweight (69kg) silver after going down to Uzbekistan’s Bobo-Usmon Baturov in a unanimous verdict.

Later, Devanshu Jaiswal (81kg) went down to Cuba’s David Gutierrez 4-1.

Former world silver medallist Saweety Boora (75kg) had to be content with the second place against Cameroon’s Essaine Clotilde.