Indian flyweight Deepak Bhoria beats world champion Zoirov to enter finals of Strandja Memorial

At the Strandja Memorial Tournament on Friday, Indian flyweight Deepak Bhoria defeated the reigning Olympic and world champion Shakhobidin Zoirov; a memorable upset, the blueprint of which was specified by 2019. Bhoria remembers the copious notes taken throughout compatriot Amit Panghal’s 2019 world championship remaining loss to Zoirov.
“I remember each moment of Amit bhai’s bout against Zoirov that day and I would imagine facing him in my practice sessions,” Bhoria, who beat Zoirov 4-1 within the 52kg semifinal, tells The Indian Express from Sofia, Bulgaria. “To beat the Olympic and world champion today is the biggest confidence booster for me. To win against such a boxer helps you mentally as well tactically.”
The 23-year-old — who bought a silver medal on the 2019 Asian Championships within the 49kg class earlier than transferring as much as 52kg — confirmed his dominance within the opening spherical with straight and cross punches. That he managed to tire the Uzbek because the bout progressed additionally labored within the Hisar boxer’s favour. “The idea was to attack from the first round. The Uzbek boxers are good power punchers from a distance and my aim was to counter and not give him time,” explains Bhoria after the win.
Weight woes
It was in 2008 {that a} younger Bhoria accompanied father Surinder, a house guard constable, and uncle Ravinder to the Universal Boxing Academy in Hisar. There, coach Rajesh Sheoran was left impressed by the teen’s response time and vary of punches after days of coaching.
“The day he came to train under me, I was impressed by his reaction time and accuracy. Such things came naturally to him and the only job I did was to make him master those techniques,” says Sheoran. “Financial difficulties did mean that he did not have a proper diet and I remember him being underweight for the 28-38kg categories at the junior level. Sometimes he had to drink lots of water prior to the weighing days to make weight. But his grasping power made him excel. He could display left punch and right cross punch apart from the uppercut with accuracy even at that time and it helped him grow as a boxer.”

While Bhoria would go on to turn out to be the nationwide champion within the 49kg class in 2018 other than successful the gold medal on the 2019 Makran Cup and the 2019 Asian Championships, his common weight would at all times be greater than 54 Kgs. At Hisar, coach Sheoran insisted he moved up. “I have seen him losing 4-5kg prior to the events to compete in 49. Though he had success at the weight, but with his body mass increasing with age, I had a discussion with him to choose 52kg,” remembers Sheoran.
Bhoria made the shift to flyweight — a class dominated by Panghal for the final three years — however it additionally meant some changes to his recreation. Bhoria misplaced within the opening spherical of the Stradja Memorial final yr.
“We had to work on his strength,” says nationwide coach Jay Patil. “His speed is naturally good so we just had to focus on strength and his core fitness. Against Zoirov today, his balance did not suffer even once and it helped him to land his punches with more accuracy.”
Mastering the Uzbek
A cause behind Panghal’s shut defeat to Zoirov within the Worlds remaining was the sluggish first spherical. On Friday, Bhoria’s mixture of cross punches, straight punches and left jabs put the 5’7 Uzbek on the again foot and the Indian received the opening spherical 4:1. The second spherical noticed the Uzbek tiring somewhat and Bhoria took benefit with one other 4:1, earlier than inching the third 3:2.
“We wanted Deepak to attack from the start and when the Uzbek came closer, Deepak avoided his hooks and used combinations. The fact that Deepak is younger and can pace his rounds helped him,” says nationwide coach Jagdeep Hooda.
India’s chief high-performance director Santiago Nieva too watched the bout after the Indian staff’s coaching session at Bellary, Andhra Pradesh. “Deepak was always there to hit back when the Uzbek hit in the first round and in boxing terms, he showed no respect to the Olympic champion. Be it a clinching situation or on the mat, Deepak’s aggression worked for him. Apart from the straight punches and left hook, Deepak surprised him with the right punch too. I love this mentality to attack,” shared Nieva.
Comparison with Panghal
While Panghal and Bhoria haven’t confronted one another in trials within the 52 Kg class, Nieva sees each as totally different boxers. The solely time each the boxers confronted one another in current instances was in the course of the Inter-Services Championship in 2017 the place Bhoria received in opposition to the then world championship quarter-finalist Panghal by a cut up 3:2 resolution.
“Both of them are very different boxers. While Deepak is a textbook manual style of boxer, Amit’s unconventional approach and explosiveness make him different. Against Zoirov in the world championships, Amit played him from a long distance in the opening round and while I believe Amit won the next two rounds, the opening round did hamper his chances,” says Nieva. “Amit has improved on that aspect now. Deepak meanwhile is a mix of classical and counter puncher and his good balance and footwork were on display today when the Uzbek played from distance. Deepak places himself in good positions and it helps him,” says Nieva.

BREAKING NEWS!!!
🇮🇳’s Deepak stuns Olympic champion & 🇺🇿’s Shakhobidin Zoirov to enter finals of 72nd Strandja Memorial Cup. He defeated the 2019 Asian Champion 4⃣:1⃣ in a scintillating face off to trigger a significant upset within the 52kg.Let’s get the GOLD💪@AjaySingh_SG @KirenRijiju pic.twitter.com/yziLElImz1
— Boxing Federation (@BFI_official) February 26, 2021
Panghal — who spent a very good chunk of Friday night retweeting the headlines Bhoria made — will likely be India’s 52kg contender on the Tokyo Olympics. For now, Nieva is pleased with Bhoria’s rise. “Well, it will be a good dilemma to have post the Olympics. Both of them have sparred together and we know what Deepak could do in the sparring against a boxer like Amit. It’s good to have such a pool,” says Nieva.
Bhoria sees Amit as a motivator, buddy and inspiration. “Amit bhai has been an inspiration and I often watch him for his explosive punches and the way he comes with a combination of punches together. I understand that he became a world championship silver medallist not just in a single day. He worked hard to get to number one. I have to do the same if I have to beat him one day,” he says.—