Politics · India Bureau
Sakshi defeats Olympic medallist Villegas to advance at Asian Games
Indian boxer Sakshi Chaudhary produced an upset victory over Paris Olympics bronze-medallist Aira Villegas of the Philippines in the women's 51kg round-of-32 bout at the Asian Games on Tuesday. The Bhiwani boxer secured a unanimous 5-0 decision to progress to the pre-quarterfinals.
LSN India ·
Sakshi Chaudhary showcased her technical prowess and ring control to outclass the Filipino challenger in a dominant performance at the continental showpiece. The 26-year-old Indian boxer leveraged her height and reach advantage effectively throughout the match, keeping Villegas at a distance while executing her game plan with precision.
After a measured opening round, Sakshi took charge in the second stanza, accelerating her pace and unleashing sustained combinations that left the Olympian struggling to mount a coherent response. Though Villegas attempted to regain momentum in the final round with a series of counter-attacking left hooks and aggressive combinations, her efforts proved insufficient to sway the judges.
All five judges awarded Sakshi a perfect 10-point round across the three rounds, reflecting the comprehensiveness of her victory. The win underscores Sakshi's rising form in the 51kg category since moving down from 54kg earlier this year. Her progression to the pre-quarterfinals marks another milestone in what has been an impressive run for the Indian pugilist at the Games.