Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: India’s Pawan Bartwal (55kg) produced the biggest upset of the tournament so far, outclassing second seed and World Cup gold medallist Altynbek Nursultan of Kazakhstan with a commanding 5:0 victory to secure his first international medal in Greater NOIDA on November 19. His commendable performance led another flawless day for India, with Sumit (75kg) and Naveen (90kg) also posting dominant wins to swell the host nation’s tally to seven guaranteed medals.
For Pawan, the moment was 15 years in the making. Having begun boxing in the 2010s and quietly risen through the ranks, the Services boxer erupted onto the world stage spectacularly. Cheered on by an energetic home crowd, he displayed exceptional defensive discipline, clever tempo control, and superb endurance, repeatedly pushing Nursultan–the second seed in the weight category–onto the ropes while picking clean openings.
Pawan’s poised, calculated performance marked one of India’s finest victories in the opening rounds of this elite eight-only global event. “Nursultan is a good boxer, he was a champion at the World Boxing Cup in Brazil this year. I was nervous at the beginning, but this tournament is taking place in our country, in front of our crowd, and that gave me confidence. This is a hugely significant tournament in my career. This is my first international medal, and I am extremely proud,” Pawan said after his bout.
Sumit followed Pawan’s lead with an equally assured 5:0 win over Korea’s Kim Hyeon-tae in the 75kg quarterfinals. A sharp punch to the face early in the bout set the tone for a relentless display – aggression clubbed with tactical control. He pressed forward throughout, dictating the exchanges and forcing Kim into survival mode as the verdict became a formality.
