Hussamuddin, 2 others enter semis of Chemistry Cup in Germany

Commonwealth Games bronze-medallist Mohammed Hussamuddin (56kg) was among the three Indian boxers to make the semifinals but two others lost in the quarters of the Chemistry Cup in Halle, Germany.

In bouts held late last night, Hussamuddin, former national champion Madan Lal (56kg) and Narender (+91kg) advanced to the last-four stage, thereby assuring themselves of at least a bronze medal each.

Hussamuddin, a two-time medal-winner at the prestigious Strandja Memorial, defeated Jordan's Mohammad Alwadi 5-0. Madan, on the other hand, got the better of Slovakian Viliam Tanko by a similar margin.

Narender edged past Moldova's Alexei Zavatin 4-0.

However, two-time CWG medal winner Manoj Kumar (69kg) and Manish Panwar (81kg) bowed out with quarterfinal losses.

Manoj was beaten by Russia's Andrei Zamkovoi, while Manish lost to Slovakia's Matus Strnisko. Both were defeated by identical 0-5 margins.

Earlier, Commonwealth Games medallists Amit Panghal (49kg) and Gaurav Solanki (52kg) and Dheeraj Rangi had entered the semifinals.

But the fancied Vikas Krishan's campaign ended with a loss to Olympic champion Arlen Lopez of Cuba in the middleweight category.