<p> <br />The Olympic bronze medal-winning middleweight pugilist, who is seeded number one in the event, joined compatriot Dinesh Kumar (81kg) in the last-eight stage with a 4-2 win over Canadian Steve Rolls late on Tuesday night.<br /><br />“It was low scoring and there were some tense moments but I am happy to have come out on top in the end,” Vijender said from Milan.<br /><br />The Haryana boxer was trailing 0-1 in the opening round but drew from his experience and long reach to get the better of his rival.<br /><br />“The scoring was tough but the support I got from my team, coaches and the fans here was enough to keep me focused,” he said.<br /><br />Vijender landed a couple of straight punches to end the second round 2-1 up.<br />In the third round, Vijender increased his lead by a couple of more points and spent the final few seconds of the bout dodging his opponent with intelligent footwork and sharp jabs.<br /><br />“I know I am on the verge of another historic first but I am not nervous and feeling quite confident about winning my next bout,” the 23-year-old world number two, who takes on Ukraine’s Sergiy Derevyanchenko in the last-eight stage on Wednesday night, said.<br /><br />“I have never competed against this Sergiy. He comes from a country that has a good reputation internationally but I am confident about my game. I am in good form and feeling fit. So, I hope to be at the winning end.”<br /><br />Dinesh bows out<br /><br />Meanwhile Dinesh Kumar failed to make the medal round after being outclassed by Russian Artur Beterbiev in the light heavy weight quarterfinals today.<br /><br />Dinesh was trailing 3-5 and had survived three standing counts before a fourth count just over a minute into the second round prompted the referee to award the bout to Beterbiev.</p>
<p> <br />The Olympic bronze medal-winning middleweight pugilist, who is seeded number one in the event, joined compatriot Dinesh Kumar (81kg) in the last-eight stage with a 4-2 win over Canadian Steve Rolls late on Tuesday night.<br /><br />“It was low scoring and there were some tense moments but I am happy to have come out on top in the end,” Vijender said from Milan.<br /><br />The Haryana boxer was trailing 0-1 in the opening round but drew from his experience and long reach to get the better of his rival.<br /><br />“The scoring was tough but the support I got from my team, coaches and the fans here was enough to keep me focused,” he said.<br /><br />Vijender landed a couple of straight punches to end the second round 2-1 up.<br />In the third round, Vijender increased his lead by a couple of more points and spent the final few seconds of the bout dodging his opponent with intelligent footwork and sharp jabs.<br /><br />“I know I am on the verge of another historic first but I am not nervous and feeling quite confident about winning my next bout,” the 23-year-old world number two, who takes on Ukraine’s Sergiy Derevyanchenko in the last-eight stage on Wednesday night, said.<br /><br />“I have never competed against this Sergiy. He comes from a country that has a good reputation internationally but I am confident about my game. I am in good form and feeling fit. So, I hope to be at the winning end.”<br /><br />Dinesh bows out<br /><br />Meanwhile Dinesh Kumar failed to make the medal round after being outclassed by Russian Artur Beterbiev in the light heavy weight quarterfinals today.<br /><br />Dinesh was trailing 3-5 and had survived three standing counts before a fourth count just over a minute into the second round prompted the referee to award the bout to Beterbiev.</p>