Boxer Jitender loses in 51kg quarters, misses bronze

HOPE ENDS: Georgy Balakshin of Russia (L) fights Jitender Kumar during a men's light flyweight 51 kilogram quarter-final boxing match.

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Beijing: Jitender Kumar lost to Russia's Georgy Balakshin in the quarter-finals of the 51kg flyweight category in the Beijing Olympics on Wednesday.

The Indian boxer lost the bout 15-11 against his experienced

Russian rival and European champion at the Workers' Gymnasium to end hopes of a medal.

If Jitender, who entered the ring with 10 stitches on his chin necessitated by a cut he had received in his previous match, had won and entered the semi-finals, he would have been assured of at least a bronze medal.

Though Jitender began on an aggressive note throwing away punches but failed to connect most of them as the Russian took a lead of 2-1 in the first round.

In second round both the boxers scored five points each but thanks to the one-point lead from the first round, Balakshin maintained the lead 7-6.

However, Jitender was totally outclassed in the third round as a flurry of punches from the Russian earned him as many as six points against only two for the Indian.

Jitender could not make up for the lost ground as the Russian resorted to defensive tactics, making scoring very difficult for his opponent in the last round.

The Indian although reduced the margin in the fourth and final round when the referee awarded him an extra point to counter the Russian's negative tactics making it 3-2 in his favour.

But that made little difference to the result.

(With inputs from PTI)