Suranjoy bags gold in style

Manipuri outpunches Frenchman Oubaali 8-1

The 22-year-old Manipuri’s triumph also fetched him a $3,000 cash prize.
Representing Asia One, Suranjoy didn’t allow his rival from the Europe Two team to land a single scoring punch in the first two rounds. Relying on his trademark left straights and cross punches, the reigning national champion opened up a 3-0 lead at the end of the opening round.

Suranjoy scored another four points in the next three minutes to take a 7-0 lead.
The final round ended 1-1 but the huge lead from the previous two rounds was enough for the Indian to emerge triumphant.

“Nordine is a good boxer and fights very aggressively but I pushed him on the backfoot in the very first round. I had never fought against him before but it was not that difficult to read his game once I entered the ring,” an elated Suranjoy told PTI.
“I wanted to win a gold and I have done that.,” he added.

National coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu said Suranjoy’s ability to keep his calm made all the difference. “Suranjoy likes to be aggressive but he curbed that natural instinct to adapt to the situation.

“He applied his mind well and has been rewarded for that,” he said.