July 12, 2006	Wednesday	Jumadi-ul-Sani 15, 1427

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KARACHI, July 11: Pakistani pugilists endured torrid time on Tuesday as five of them crashed out while only Allah Bukhsh and Muzaffar Iqbal reached Green Hill Cup boxing semifinals at KPT Sports Complex.

Two medal hopes — welterweight Dur Mohammad and super-heavyweight Mirwaiz Khan — lost close encounters, while light-heavyweights Mohammad Sajjad, Tanveer Shaukat and heavyweight Faizuddin were easily beaten by their opponents.

Muzaffar of Pakistan Greens was far superior against Iran’s Ruoholla Housane who lost 13-16. Although score suggested that it was close fight, the Pakistani in fact dominated the clash from start to the finish.

Enjoying better reach, Muzaffar prevailed over stocky Iranian landing accurate punches and led the first round 5-2.

While Muzaffar was ruthless in executing powerful punches, Housane was finding it hard to defend himself. Muzaffar used combination of stinging hooks and telling jabs to lead the second round 9-4.

Although Housane stepped up pressure, Muzaffar remained cool and kept pounding Iranian with his thunderous hooks and swinging punches to lead the third round 13-6.

It was in the final round that Housane scored vital points to reduce the margin which resulted in Muzaffar’s bloody nose which had to be wiped off by referee. But Muzaffar fought like a champion and emerged worthy winner.

It was a different story in middleweight fight between Allah Bukhsh and Saudi Arabia’s Turki Subyani who could not go beyond second round.

Subyani was no match for the Pakistani as Allah Bukhsh emerged a 21-1 winner after outscoring his rival in the second round.

The 42-21 decision in favour of Syria’s Ahmed Wattar against Mirwaiz of Pakistan Whites was surprising as the way Pakistani fought suggested the result would be in favour of local boxer.

Mirwaiz opened up the fight, showed aggression against the Syrian and led the first round 8-5. While Mirwaiz was not giving the Syrian room to launch attacks at will, Wattar appeared to lack stamina in the second round soon after losing his gumshield near the end of the round. Interestingly, the Syrian led the round 16-12.

Having a better reach and an aggressive style, Mirwaiz traded powerful punches and fought hard but the Syrian led the third round 29-16.

Wattar fought back in the final round, while the Pakistani also scored some precious points with some heavy punches but the Syrian was declared a 42-21 winner.

Dur Mohammad of Greens lost to Samat Payuha of Thailand but was not disgraced as he gave a testing time to the opponent before bowing down 9-11.

Uzbekistan’s Matchanov Jasur thrashed Faizuddin of Whites 28-6 in a one-sided fight. The Uzbek floored Faiz in the first round but he recovered while a series of powerful punches shook Pakistani as Jasur led the opening round 8-1.

Jasur was merciless in the second round and led 12-2 treating Faiz as a punching bag to lead third round 17-4. There was no respite for the Pakistani in the final round as Jasur walked away easy victor.

Sajjad of Whites was also handed out a severe beating when he was thrashed 27-13 by China’s Lei Yuping, while Tanveer of Greens lost to Muhdei Ghorbane of Iran 26-10 after being floored once.

Results (quarterfinals):

Light-welterweight: Shin Myun-Hoon (Korea) bt Delfin Boholst (Philippines) 27-12; Mahmudov Dilshod (Uzbekistan) Houman Caramei (Iran) 31-19.

Welterweight: Samat Payuha (Thailand) bt Dur Mohammad (Pakistan Greens) 11-9; Yunusov Bohzhodbek (Uzbekistan) bt Shi Jin Gao (China) 24-14; Bashirov Aliasker (Turkmenistan) bt Eshak Waez (Syria) 34-23; Mohammad Satarpaor (Iran) bt Cao Van Truong (Vietnam) walkover.

Middleweight: Allah Bukhsh (Pakistan Greens) bt Turki Subyani (Saudi Arabia) 21-1 OC/II; Homauon Amerei (Iran) bt Nurmuhammedow. G (Turkmenistan) 28-8 OC/III; Abdurahmonov Sherzod (Uzbekistan) bt Zhang Jianting (China) 23-8 OC/II; Ivano Del Monti (Italy) bt Kraingkrai Sukkhum (Thailand) 26-6 OC/III.

Light-heavyweight: Muhdei Ghorbanei (Iran) bt Tanveer Shaukat (Pakistan Greens) 26-10 KO/II; Ram Singh (India) bt Hassan Moustphaziano (Lebanon) 24-18; Lei Yuping (China) bt Mohammad Sajjad (Pakistan Whites) 27-13.

Heavyweight: Matchanov Jasur (Uzbekistan) bt Faizuddin (Pakistan Whites) 28-6; Somar Gason (Syria) bt Mammadov Azher (Azerbaijan) 35-12; Salem Alshammary (Kuwait) bt India walkover.

Super-heavyweight: Rustam Saidov (Uzbekistan) bt Tamir M. Kitna (Egypt) 33-13 OC/III; Ahmed Wattar (Syria) bt Mirwaiz Khan (Pakistan Whites) 42-12; Akbarov Nijat (Azerbaijan) bt India walkover; Muzaffar Iqbal (Pakistan Greens) bt Ruoholla Housane (Iran) 16-13.

The electronic scoreboards failed to work during first ten bouts. The electronic scoreboards, which are being used by International Boxing Association (AIBA) on the instructions of International Olympic Committee (IOC), did not operate since the start.

The two scoreboards, which display points of the two boxers on round-to-round basis, started working only after 10th bout for reasons better known to organizers.

The scoreboards are connected to the computers provided to jury. Interestingly, while the computers showing the scores were working, the scoreboards were inoperative.

Press is also facing problems as designated area for media can’t be used as electric wires and pool of water have made a mess of press gallery. Reporters are forced to sit in stands meant for public.