World No.1 boxer Amit Panghal's Olympic campaign ends with shocking loss to Colombian Martinez
Tokyo: Star Indian boxer Amit Panghal (52kg) bowed out of the Olympics with a stunning 1-4 loss to Rio Games silver-medallist Yuberjen Martinez, beaten by the Colombian's relentless attacks and pace in a draining pre-quarterfinal bout here on Saturday.
The world number one Indian, who was making his debut in the Games and was seeded top, had got an opening-round bye.
One of India's strongest medal contenders, Panghal was put under pressure by the sprightly Colombian in the opening round itself but the pre-bout favourite ensured that he connected better to claim the first three minutes 4-1.
"They have sparred with each other. In some of them Amit was better than today but in others, it was similar to what happened today. It wasn't a total surprise because we had seen that this guy is very dangerous," Indian Boxing's High Performance Director Santiago Nieva said after the bout.
Martinez's pace should have set alarm bells ringing in the Indian corner despite Panghal bagging the first round because the Pan-American champion upped the ante in the second round, working relentlessly on Panghal's body with his uppercuts.
Panghal found it tough to respond and Martinez's persistence brought him level with the top star.
"We knew what to expect but our hope was that Amit would stand up better in the last two rounds," Nieva added.
Martinez made sure that there was no let up in the intensity in the final three minutes as well and Panghal ended up being on the defensive for the most part.
"He didn't have the strength to move, so he stayed inside. Then (eventually) he didn't have the strength to respond also and he became passive. There the Colombian scored a lot of points," Nieva said.
"Against no other opponent, I have seen Amit so tired. It's not just him, in the Italy camp we also had Deepak, who is also a world-class boxer, and he also could not stop him. We were facing a very high-calibre boxer," he added referring to Asian silver-medallist Deepak Kumar, who was there with the Olympic-bound group for sparring.
Despite this loss, the 25-year-old Panghal remains one of the best-performing Indian boxers in recent times, having secured a gold medal at the 2018 Asian Games, followed by an unparalleled silver medal at the world championships in 2019.
The diminutive Army man is also a three-time Asian medallist, securing a medal every time he has been at the continental showpiece. It is in fact the first major setback that the youngster has endured since a breakthrough 2017, when he first burst into the scene.
Martinez won the light flyweight silver medal in the 2016 Rio Olympics and will turn professional after the Tokyo Games.
"This is a big step for me in my aim to win the gold medal. He was the top seed and a great competitor, a fantastic fighter, but I was very well-prepared for this fight," Martinez said after the bout.
"I am in the quarterfinals now but I know I will have to be at my best if I want the gold medal. That is what I am here for," he added.
His parents, who follow the pacifism-supporting Anglican church, were against him taking up the sport but eventually came around to support his ambitions.
On Friday, Lovlina Borgohain (69kg) became the first Indian boxer to secure a medal at the ongoing Games after advancing to the semifinals. She defeated former world champion Nien-Chin Chen of Chinese Taipei in her quarterfinal bout.
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Bengaluru: Power supply to be cut to unauthorised buildings after Kumbarapet fire
Bengaluru: A day after a major fire broke out at a hardware warehouse in Kumbarapet near Chikkapete, the Greater Bengaluru Authority (GBA) on Thursday ordered disconnection of electricity supply to unauthorised buildings in the area.
The authority also directed officials to issue notices to halt construction activities being carried out in violation of sanctioned building plans. According to a report published by The Indian Express, the GBA warned that if illegal portions of buildings are not removed, criminal cases should be registered against the owners.
The fire occurred around 9 am on Wednesday at Lakshmi Commercial Complex, a three-storey structure housing a hardware warehouse. The blaze is suspected to have been caused by a short circuit on the ground floor, resulting in extensive damage.
Fire and Emergency Services personnel faced difficulty accessing the congested market area due to narrow roads. Hose lines had to be laid from more than 300 metres away before the fire could be brought under control.
The GBA has constituted a committee to prepare a comprehensive report on steps required to prevent and manage fire incidents in the commercial areas of Chikkapete. The committee includes representatives from the GBA, the Central City Corporation, the Fire and Emergency Services Department and the Electricity Department.
The Indian Express reported that GBA Chief Commissioner Maheshwar Rao has instructed officials to inspect the site and convene a meeting with trade associations to discuss mandatory fire safety measures. He also recalled similar fire incidents reported last year in Nagarathpete within the Chikkapete area.
The newly formed committee has been tasked with conducting a detailed inquiry into the cause of the latest fire and recommending corrective measures to prevent such incidents in the future.
