Mary Kom enters boxing quarterfinals

The 19-14 scoreline may suggest an easy victory for Mary Kom, but the five-time world champion admitted she fought one the toughest bouts in her life in her first fight in the London Olympics boxing competition at the Excel Arena on Sunday afternoon. Mary Kom defeated Poland’s Karolina Michalczuk in the 51 kg flyweight division to set up a quarterfinal clash with Maroua Rahali of Tunisia on Monday.

The victory was “special” for Mary Kom as her twin sons are celebrating their fifth birthday in Imphal with her in-laws while husband Onler and mother looked on from the jam-packed stands here. The support for Mary was overwhelming as soon as the 29-year-old stepped on to the ring in her blue dress.

Against a taller opponent, Mary started on an aggressive note with combination jabs but Karolina hit back midway through the first round. The cat-and-mouse rounded with both winning 3 points each. Women bouts are played over four rounds of two minutes each.

The second round was equally well-contested. Mary had to re-adjust her head ear and came out with a solid straight right on Karolina but once against, the Pole emerged from her guard and won some points. Mary was often pushed to the ropes and even tripped twice in the fight but up on her feet and punch with confidence.

Mary won the second round 5-4 but built a handsome lead in the third, winning 7-3 with her superior punching skills and her ability to move out of harm’s way as Karolina often threw a flurry of jabs straight on Mary’s face.

Leading 15-10, with a round to go, Mary danced around, often wrestled around with the Polish girl as the crucial seconds ticked away. The round ended 4-4 with Mary getting a thundering ovation for a well-deserved win.

“It wasn’t an easy win at all. I was better than her technically, but she was extremely powerful. My heart is still racing,” Mary said soon after her match.

Without her personal coach Charles Atkinson, Anoop Kumar managed Mary’s corner. Kumar has managed before Atkinson took over last year. “It was a good start. Her focus has been perfect and hopefully, she should be in the semis,” Kumar said.