India's Pooja wins gold; Mary Kom settles for silver at Asian Boxing Championships

Dubai - Mary Kom fought back in the final three minutes but that was not enough to get the judges’ nod

Defending champion Pooja Rani (75kg) notched up a second successive gold with a comprehensive victory even as the seasoned M C Mary Kom (51kg) signed off with a silver medal at the Asian Boxing Championships in Dubai on Sunday.

The Olympic-bound Pooja (75 kg), who was competing in her first bout of the tournament after getting a bye and a walkover earlier, dismantled Mavluda Movlonova of Uzbekistan with a clinical performance.

She also earned $10,000 for her marvellous one-bout show in which Movlonova was simply out of sorts, unable to keep pace with the Indian’s intensity.

However, six-time world champion Mary Kom (51kg) and tournament debutant Lalbuatsaihi (64kg) signed off with silver medals after both lost intense final bouts.

The Olympic-bound Mary Kom went down in a split 2-3 verdict to Nazym Kyzaibay of Kazakhstan. It was the Manipuri superstar’s seventh medal in the tournament, the first being a gold that came way back in the 2003 edition. Her tournament record now stands at five gold and two silver medals.

Lalbuatsaihi lost 2-3 as well but after giving her Kazakh rival Milana Safronova a fight to remember.

Both the Indians ended with prize money of $5,000 each.

Lalbuatsaihi came into the Indian team as a late replacement for the seasoned Pwilao Basumatary, whose passport had expired. The Mizo boxer exhausted her rival with her counter-attacks but lost momentum in the final round to end second best.

Earlier, up against an opponent 11 years younger to her, the 38-year-old Mary Kom made an impressive start and clinched the opening round comfortably by relying on her sharp counter-attacks.

The pace picked up in the second round and both the boxers showed aggressive intent. The Kazakh drew level at this point with her jabs landing perfectly.

Mary Kom fought back in the final three minutes but that was not enough to get the judges’ nod.

Kyzaibay is a two-time world champion and a six-time national champion. All gold-winners got prize money of $10,000 each.