Tokyo Olympics: Boxing Legend Mary Kom Registers Opening-Round Win Against Miguelina

In Round 3, Mary Kom rose to the occasion and she did enough to progress ahead in the boxing event.

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Tokyo Olympics: Indian boxer MC Mary Kom has defeated Miguelina Hernandez Garcia of the Dominican Republic in the opening round of the women's flyweight (48-51kg) category event at the Kokugikan arena.

For Mary Kom, who is playing her last Olympics, this match in the 51 kg flyweight category was not easy.  However, taking advantage of her experience, Mary Kom managed to win by a margin of 4-1 and made it to the next round.  With this, 38-year-old Mary Kom, who won a bronze medal in the 2012 London Olympics, defeated Miguelina 4-1 in the round of 32 match on Sunday.

Six-time world champion MC Mary Kom did not give Hernandez Garcia much opportunity to attack during the match.  In the beginning, Mary Kom kept a safe distance and from the first round itself, she appeared to be benefiting from this.  Mary Kom saved her energy in the first two rounds and started attacking Garcia as soon as the third round started.

After the first two rounds, the scoreline stood level was at 19-19 and the match proved to be an exciting affair being evenly poised. In third round, India's legendary boxer did not give Hernandez any chance to return and on the strength of her lethal punches and great technique, Mary Kom registered an opening-round win.

 In the round of 16, Mary Kom will face third seed Ingrit Valencia of Colombia. Valencia is the bronze medalist of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.