Indian boxers in for tough semifinal battle at World Jr C'ship

Irrespective of tomorrow's outcome, India is set to return with four medals, country's best-ever haul, in the event but it remains to be seen what the colour of these medals would be. In the last edition of the competition in 2007, India had clinched two gold and a silver medals.

Sandeep (46kg) faces Javlonbek Eshmatov of Uzbekistan, a country which has a five-strong presence in the semis along with Cuba.
"A very tough semifinal line-up. I am doing everything to motivate my boys. I have told them not to get intimidated by their tough opponents. But luck is also a factor," coach M S Dhaka told PTI from Yerevan today, a rest day at the event.
"The boys have trained hard and they are physically fit. That's all I can ensure...the rest is upto them. They have to deliver inside the ring and I am sure they will," he said.
Namit (50kg) will be up against Talgat Berteulov of Kazakhstan in the final.

Shiva (52kg) will also square off against a Kazakh, Yerbolat Seidalliyev. Dhaka says Shiva has a good chance of winning the bout.
"I have a feeling Shiva will pull it off. He is the only guy in our team who has some international experience (Shiva clinched a gold at last year's Hyder Aliyev Cup). I don't think nerves would be a problem in his case," Dhaka said.
Vikas (54kg), meanwhile, takes on Yunior Ernesto Valdes Boleri of Cuba.
"More then training, I have been telling Vikas to just be calm inside the ring. He can easily get intimidated because Cubans do have a reputation in international boxing," Dhaka said.
"So, I have been telling him to just focus on his strategy and not get bothered by the fact that he is facing a Cuban," he added.
A total of 16 countries are represented by the 52 boxers who have qualified for the semifinals.
Russia tops the number of semifinalists with nine followed by the hosts Armenia (seven) and Cuba and Uzbekistan (five each).
India had sent an eight-member team for the event.