Vikash Malik (60kg) notched up India’s first win at the ongoing World Boxing Championships as he beat Kyrgyzstan’s Meder Mamakeev to enter the second round of the mega-even here on Tuesday.
The reigning national champion, the lone Indian in action on Tuesday, prevailed over Mamakeev 3-0 to enter the second round where he will be up against Poland’s POL Dawid Michelus on October 20. Michelus got a first-round bye.
Vikash, who was a pre-quarterfinalist at the Asian Championships in June, was trailing in the opening round when the individual scores handed out under the new 10-point system, which evaluates the boxer not just on the number of punches connected but also his overall ring-craft.
However, he roared back in the next two rounds, impressing the judges, who were unanimous in picking him the winner.
On Wednesday, Asian Championships silver-medallist Mandeep Jangra (69kg) will make his World Championships debut when he takes on Tanazania’s Selemani Kidunda.