Asian Boxing Champion Amit Panghal today became the first Indian to make the finals of the World Men’s Championship while Manish Kaushik signed off with a bronze medal after going down in the semifinals in Ekaterinburg, Russia. In 52kilogram category, second seed Panghal prevailed 3-2 against Kazakhstan’s Saken Bibossinov in the last-four stage but Kaushik lost 0-5 to top-seeded Cuban Andy Gomez Cruz in 63-kilogram category.
Tomorrow Panghal will take on Uzbekistan’s Shakhobidin Zoirov, the reigning Olympic champion. Zoirov defeated Frenchman Billal Bennama in his semifinal showdown. India had never won more than one bronze medal in a single edition of the world championships but Panghal and Manish Kaushik changed that by making the semifinals.