Vijender in line for third consecutive 75 kg title

New Delhi, Aug 28 (UNI) Doha Asian Games bronze medallist Vijender of Railways stayed on course for the third consecutive title in the middleweight category after another effortless victory in the 54th Senior Men National Boxing championship here today.

Vijender, who will receive Arjuna Award from the President tomorrow, outscored Ashok of Delhi in a one-sided 75 kg semi-final bout and the referee had to stop the contest in the third round when the Railwayman was leading 26-6.

Vijender, who had secured RSC verdicts in his earlier three rounds en-route to the last four, will meet the winner of the bout between Amarjeet of Services and Ram Kumar of Uttar Pradesh.

In the 51 kg category, Melbourne Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Jitender Kumar of Railways stormed into the semi-final with an RSC verdict over Hrokhu of Mizoram.

Another Doha Asian Games bronze medallist Verghese Johnson also moved into the semi-finals with an easy victory over Paramjeet of Railways 31-14 in the Super Heavyweight (+91kg) categroy.

Other Railwaymen -- Jai Bhagwan (60kg) and Dilbag Singh (69kg) -- and Som Bahadur Pun of Services also did not have to sweat much to book semi-final berths.

Earlier in the day, Commonwealth champion Sunil Kumar of Haryana bite the dust as he was outpunched by defending champion HK Belwal of Services in the flyweight category.

Belwal won the 51kg quarter-final bout on points 47-28 in a fierce contest which saw both the pugilists trying to stamp authority over the other.

Sunil, who won gold in the Commonwealth Championship in Liverpool last month, was the initial aggressor but trailed all through the contest. He was 7-14 behind at the end of first round.

Sunil continued his aggressive self in the second round also with a flurry of punches but without score and seasoned Belwal responded by notching up points continuously while defending and the gap between the two kept on increasing.

Belwal was up 20-10 and 35-20 in the second and third rounds and emerged victorious in the final round at 48-27.

In the light flyweight (48kg) category, World Cadet champion Balbir Singh of Railways and Asian Cadet champion Sanjay Kishan Kolte of Services booked their semi-final berths with easy victories.

Balbir outpunched Salman of Maharashtra 22-9 while Sanjay won an RSC verdict over K Chiranjivi of Andhra Pradesh when when he was leading 21-1 in the third round.

UNI