Star Indian boxer Amit Panghal won gold in the Men’s 48kg-51kg flyweight event final after he beat home favourite Kiaran Macdonald at the Commonwealth Games (CWG) 2022 in Birmingham on Sunday, August 7.
Despite the height disadvantage, Asian Games gold medallist Panghal was the far better pugilist among the two.
But MacDonald upped the ante in the final round despite managing a nasty cut.
Having lost to a Briton four years ago at the same stage in Gold Coast, the 26-year-old Panghal was at his aggressive best against home favourite Kiaran MacDonald as he clinched the yellow metal with a 5-0 verdict.
The dominating Panghal, who was lightning quick with his jabs, also left MacDonald with a cut above his right eye that needed a few stitches and a stoppage in play as the Indian was on song.
Using his height advantage, MacDonald tried to bounce back in the third round but the Asian Games champion had it easy.
The turning point for Panghal, however, was the semifinal win over Zambia's Tokyo Olympian Patrick Chinyemba as the Indian bounced back to win the bout.
The first Indian boxer to take the ring, the 21-year-old Nitu Ghanghas, upstaged 2019 world championships bronze medallist Demie-Jade Resztan of England by a 5-0 unanimous verdict.
Competing in her first CWG, Nitu looked completely in control throughout the nine minutes, giving the home boxer no chance.
The Southpaw continued to dazzle in the ring as she threw a sharp, and accurate combination of punches and controlled the pace of the contest to win gold in her minimum weight category
