Guwahati, Nov. 20 (IANS): India started the second day of the AIBA Women's Youth World Championships on a grand note when Shashi Chopra, who recently picked a silver at the
Ahmet Cormet boxing tournament in Istanbul, came out strongly in her feather weight preliminary round at the Nabin Chandra Bardoloi Indoor stadium here on Monday. Shashi was head and heels over her Uzbekistan opponent Rakhmatova Durdonakhon all through the three rounds. Shashi's straight punching as she led with her left, using the double jab combo followed by a three-punch left-right-left burst seemed to keep her Uzbek opponent on the backfoot in the opening round.
Shashi then stepped up her game in the second round, putting further aggression into her attack as she bobbed and weaved her way in and out of Rakhmatova's reach.
However, the Indian was unable to avoid some of the punches her opponent threw at her but that did not cause much damage as few were on target. Shashi managed to connect a vicious left hook that caught the Uzbek on the right temple that got her the standing count, seconds before the bell.
Shashi continued her attacks, keeping it simple with straight jabs in the final round to eventually take the bout away for a unanimous points decision.
"I am very happy with my first round victory. I was confident I could win the bout if I stuck to the plan and not allow my opponent to score points. I also kept my punches straight and struck effectively," Shashi said. However, the most awesome display of boxing came from middleweight title contender Russia's Shamonova Nastasiia.
The sturdy Russian showed why she is amongst the most feared boxer in women's world boxing.
She looked to be in a class of her own demolishing US's Moreu Sharahya with such clinical punching that all the American could do was soak in the pain but courageously soldiered on, sometimes connecting with power to the head and stomach, reminding the Russian that she was no pushover.
The final outcome was a unanimous victory for the Russian and a round of applause from the crowd.
