BFI Cup: Amit Phangal, Manju Ranju notch dominant wins to advance to next round

Chennai, Oct 2 (PTI) Asian and Commonwealth Games gold medallist Amit Phangal of Services stormed into the next round of the elite men’s competition at the BFI Cup with a dominant 5-0 win over Punjab’s Sparsh Kumar here on Thursday.

In the elite women’s section, former World Championships silver medallist Manju Rani of Railways and youth world champions Ankushita Boro of Assam and Arundhati Choudary of Services also notched dominant wins.

Amit’s victory headlined another superb outing for Services. Teammates S Vishvanath (50kg) and Preet Malik (65kg) -- both a part of the Asian U-22 Championships team in Thailand -- posted commanding 5-0 wins to move ahead.

Railways Ravi Kumar (75kg) and Tamil Nadu's C Lucas (50kg) added to the day’s highlights, each advancing with RSC victories.

The women’s draw saw experienced names underline their pedigree. Manju Rani displayed her class with a 5-0 verdict over Punjab’s Kashish Mehta in the 48kg category, while Arundhati (70kg) outpunched Haryana’s Manisha in a unanimous decision.

Assam’s Ankushita made quick work of her bout, sealing an RSC win in the opening round against Minnat Zarine.

Boxers from state units and boards who finished in the top-8 at the Elite Nationals are in action at the BFI Cup, joined by entries from SAI NCOE and host state Tamil Nadu.

The lineup also includes participants from the last two Elite National Championships, Indian team members from the 2024 and 2025 Asian U-22 Championships, as well as medallists from international competitions since 2022.

Adding further depth to the competition are medallists from the Goa and Uttarakhand National Games and the 6th Youth Nationals.

Competitions are being held for both elite men and women across 10 weight categories each, aligned with World Boxing standards. Gold and silver medallists from the event will earn a pathway into the Elite National Camp. PTI PDS AM PDS AM AM