New Delhi:
It turned out to be a field day for India's young pugilists as they punched their way to an unprecedented nine medals, including four gold, in the Golden Glove of Vojvodina -- an international boxing tournament being held in Kikinda, Serbia.
A Silambarasan (52kg), who was declared the 'Best Fighter of the Tournament', and Manish Solanki (69kg) bagged the yellow metal in the men's section while Rajesh Kumari (48kg) and Chanda Udanshive (51kg) did likewise in the women's division.
Youth World Championships bronze medal winner Lalitha Prasad (49kg) and reigning national champion Neeraj Parashar (64kg) had to be content with silver medals after losing their respective title bouts.
Also winning silver were Marthamma Sattivada (64kg), Diksha (91kg) and Pema Chotan (+91kg).
Silambarasan, a silver medallist in the 2012 Aglorav Cup, continued his form in the tournament as he edged past Scotsman Stephen Boyle in the flyweight division. Both the pugilists played a very similar style of boxing and started off with an electric pace with neither ready to back down.
Action continued in a similar vein in the second and third round with not much separating the two. In the end though the relentless attacking of the Indian paid off as he was declared the winner, the two-time silver medal winner at the Junior Nationals winning on a unanimous decision.
Welter weight boxer Solanki also displayed great class as he beat local lad Stanojevic Lazar. His technical superiority coupled with nimble footwork was the difference between the two. The 2012 Junior Nationals bronze medallist went on to claim his first international medal with a victory on a unanimous decision.
Up against Russian Perminov Ilia, 17-year-old Prasad put up a strong show with his counter attacks and piercing jabs before going down on a split decision.
