Gujarat tame Panthers in first two bouts, close in on top of table

New Delhi : Gujarat Giants took big strides towards topping the table after winning the first two bouts against formidable Punjab Panthers in the Big Bout Indian Boxing League here on Tuesday.

With the likes of skipper Amit Pangal and Sarita Devi awaiting their bouts, Gujarat Giants looked forward to asserting their superiority.

Punjab Panthers skipper MC Mary Kom believed she had done her team a favour by blocking the 91kg bout, thus denying Gujarat Giants the chance to pick up a point through British champion Scott Forrest.

But she was in for a shock when her team-mate Abdulmalik Khalakov was out-thought and beaten by Gujarat Giants' Chirag in the 57kg bout.

Chirag knew he had to bring his A game against the Youth Olympic Games champion Khalakov, who had won his bouts in Punjab Panthers' handsome victories over Odisha Warriors and Bombay Bullets.

Chirag, a World Military Games bronze medallist pushed the Uzbekistan boxer to the ropes and gave him little room to line up scoring punches.

The experienced Ashish Kumar rallied to beat young Mohit in the 75kg battle to place Gujarat Giants in a commanding position.