Almaty: Rising Star and reigning Asian Champion Shiva Thapa (56kg) continued his winning streak at the 2013 AIBA World Boxing Championship in Almaty Kazakhstan on Monday (21 Oct 2013). The 19-year-old outpointed Argentina's Alberto Melian to cement his place in the last 8 of the bantam weight division. But it was disappointment for former Junior World Champion Th Nanao Singh (49kg), who bowed out of the tournament after losing out in the pre-quarter finals of the light fly weight division.
Thapa beat Mario Fernandez of the Philippines in a one-sided affair to make his place in the pre-quart final, where he locked horns with Melian; the Argentine boxer proved to be a difficult opponent though. There was not much separating the two pugilists, with both supporting a similar style of play. Melian got the better of Shiva in the first round.
But the Indian came back strongly in the second – balancing his attacks and counter attacks well he managed to win the round. The final three minutes of play and he went all out, not giving his opponent many chances to score. He went on to make his place in the quarter-finals with a score of 28-29, 29-28 and 30-27. Another win and Shiva will be assured of at least a bronze medal performance from the competition. He will have to however, get past Javid Chalabiyev of Azerbaijan to do that.
Nanao’s World Championship campaign though, came to abrupt end. The 22 year old, who was making a comeback into the National Squad, suffered defeat at the hands of eighth seed Anthony Chacon Rivera of Puerto Rico; he lost by a unanimous decision.
