Jitender outclasses Canadian opponent

Sydney: Using his extra reach and height to the fullest advantage 23-year-old silver medallist Jitender Kumar almost toyed around with his opponent, Canada's Donald Grant Orr in the first round of the 75-kg category bout in the Olympic boxing competition.

The Indian boxer, who only weeks ago was decorated with the Arjuna Award, was dominant right from the word go. Jitender virtually decimated the Canadian and ended the bout one second short of the bell in the thirdround with a sledgehammer of a head blow.

Jitender now has a tough opponent, Adrian Diaconu of Romania in the pre-quarter-finals. Diaconu scored a big-points win 19-9 over Algerian Abdelhani Kinzi in another bout. Diaconu, a bronze medallist in theEuropean championships in 1999, had his biggest moment when he grabbed a silver medal in the 1999 World Championships in Houston, Texas.

In Monday's fight, Grant, who took to boxing after joining his father's boxing in Vancouver and who lists his hobbies as "Girls and hunting" was more the hunted this evening.

But for Jitender, the big advantage once again could be height and reach. The Romanian, who stands at 175 cms is almost six inches shorter than the Indian who stands 191 cms.

Jitender took the first round 3-2 with two quick points with one body blow and one head blow in the last few seconds of the round.

In the second round, such was Jitender's confidence that he lured his rival to come into his reach by dropping his guard now and then. For quite some Grant kept out of reach, as a result of which he found it difficult to land his own punches.

In the last half a minute once Jitender went on the offensive and pickedup two more points to be 5-2 up midway through the four round bout.

In the third round, Jitender moved in for the kill and ran up a 7-2 lead. He was way ahead at 8-3 he closed the fight with a huge head blow that left Grant bleeding above the eye and that forced the referee to finish the fight in the Indian's favour.

India sent four boxers to the Games, but one, Suresh Singh has already lost in the 48-kg category, and two more are yet to come into the ring. They are Dingko Singh in 54-kg and Gurcharan Singh in 91-kg.

India Abroad News Service