Gujarat Giants tame Panthers in first two bouts, inch towards top of table

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 even before Amit was due to step into the ring against PL Prasad.

Ashish exerted control over the bout in the second round and did enough to gain the nod of all the judges.

Punjab Panthers is on top of the table with 10 points from two matches, while Odisha Warriors (10 from two), Gujarat Giants (9 from two), Bombay Bullets (7 from two), NE Rhinos (seven from two) and Bengaluru Brawlers (six from three) complete the charts.