India’s Shiva Thapa lost to Mongolia’s Baatarsukh Chinzorig in a 2-3 split decision in the 64kg final and settle for silver at the Asian Boxing Championship. Earlier, Amit Panghal lost to reigning World and Olympic champion Zoirov Shakhobidin of Uzbekistan in a 2-3 split decision in the final of the 52 kg event to settle for silver. This is the third loss for Panghal at the hands of Zoirov ahead of the Tokyo Olympics.

Sanjeet will take on Kazakistan’s Vassiliy Levit in the 91 kg final later in the night.

Zoirov Shakhobidin is the defending world and Olympic champion and had a 2-0 win-loss record against Amit Panghal. The Indian had lost in the 2019 world championships and more recently at the Governor’s Cup in Russia.

As for Thapa, the first Indian male boxer in the tournament history to secure five medals and the world number one, will square off against reigning Olympic and world champion Shakhobidin Zoirov of Uzbekistan in the final.

It was the repeat of the 2019 world championship final in which the Indian had lost and had to settle for silver. The 27-year-old Thapa’s first medal at the event was a gold in 2013, followed by a bronze in 2015, a silver in 2017 and another bronze in 2019. Thapa will be up against Mongolia’s Baatarsukh Chinzorig in the summit clash. Chinzorig is the Asian Games silver-medallist.