Shiva Thapa and Amit Panghal shine, Bhalang Shadap steals the show at National Boxing Championship

Syllad | The Rising MeghalayaNovember 28, 2023

The spotlight of the 7th Elite Men’s National Boxing Championship shone on renowned fighters Shiva Thapa and Amit Panghal, who lived up to expectations with victories on the third day at the SAI Indoor Hall on Monday.

However, the loudest cheers reverberated for Meghalaya’s own Bhalang Shadap in the welterweight category,  who came out all guns blazing to demolish his opponent Enait Khan of DNHDD (Dadra & Nagar Haveli, Daman & Diu) in the welterweight 63.5-67kg category. 

Shadap left no room for his opponent to settle, delivering a barrage of blows that prompted the referee to stop the contest in the second round, with Khan requiring assistance away from the ringside. Notably, Shadap follows the footsteps of Badonkupar Synnah as the second Meghalayan to advance in the championship.

In earlier action, Panghal, the 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medallist and 2018 Asian Games champion, secured a comfortable unanimous verdict in the flyweight category against Shivaji of Maharashtra. Meanwhile, Thapa of Assam engaged in a hard-fought battle against Abhinash Jamwal of Himachal Pradesh in the light welterweight category, ultimately securing a narrow split decision victory (4-3) to the delight of the enthusiastic Shillong crowd.

The championship, organized by the Meghalaya Boxing Association in collaboration with the Boxing Federation of India, and sponsored by the Department of Sports and Youth Affairs, Government of Meghalaya, will conclude on December 1.

Despite the overall excitement, the day saw mixed fortunes for Meghalaya’s boxers, with Melvin Malngiang and Sanjeev Maskut experiencing defeats in their respective categories against Himanshu Srivas and Ram Naresh Patel, both representing Madhya Pradesh. Despite the outcomes, the local pugilists showcased commendable performances, though the judges’ decisions did not favor them.