Paris Olympics 2024: Big Blow To India's Boxing Contingent As Amit Panghal Bows Out

Paris Olympics 2024, Boxing: Boxer Amit Panghal lost his opening round match against Zamibia's Patrick Chinyemba in the 51 kg category in a major blow to Team India's medal hopes.

India's Amit Panghal (blue) loses to Zambia's Patrick Chinyemba in the Paris Olympics 2024.

Source : PTI

Amit Panghal, Paris Olympics 2024: India have been handed a major blow to their medal hopes in their Paris Olympics 2024. Boxer Amit Panghal lost his opening round match against Zamibia's Patrick Chinyemba in the 51 kg category. With this, Chinyemba avenged his Commonwealth Games defeat against the same opponent.

Panghal was not able to land his punches in the match and towards the end seemed tired and even seemed to be mocked by his opponent as he went on to win the match 4-1. The 28-year-old Indian boxer did not have a good start to his bout and it was no surprise that the Zamibian boxer had the upper hand when the first round ended. Any chances of Indian comeback was thrashed when Chinyemba bagged the second round.

The Boxing Federation Of India (BFI) put out a post on X (formerly Twitter) after Panghal lost the bout.

💔 for Amit #PunchMeinHaiDum#Paris2024#Cheer4Bharat#Boxing pic.twitter.com/YHRU7kxO35

— Boxing Federation (@BFI_official) July 30, 2024

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Panghal did try his best in the third round and perhaps that was the reason he was able to convince one of the referees to rule in his favour. This was the second Olympic appearance for Panghal who had entered the Tokyo Olympics as world number 1 but ended up losin that bout to the eventual silver medallist Yuberjen Martínez of Colombia.

Despite the defeat, Panghal has received support from the boxing fraternity with Vijender Singh also sharing a message of encouragement for Panghal who had made a dramatic comeback to secure a ticket to Paris but unfortunatelty it wasn't to be for him in the opening round of the Men's 51 kg boxing.

"Well played #Amitpanghal," he wrote on X.

Well played #Amitpanghal 🇮🇳

— Vijender Singh (@boxervijender) July 30, 2024