AS THE Super Boxing League enters its semi-final stage, the audience will be witnessing some of the most competitive bouts of the inaugural season of the league at the Siri Fort Squash & Badminton Stadium here in New Delhi.
The four teams who have qualified for the semi-finals of Super Boxing League are – Delhi Gladiators and Haryana Warriors from Group A, and North East Tigers and Maratha Yoddhas from Group B. As many as six boxers go into the semi-finals undefeated; therefore it makes for a mouth-watering line-up for the viewers in the penultimate weekend of SBL.
In the first semi-final, it will be Group A winners Delhi Gladiators who will take on Group B runners up Maratha Yoddhas on Saturday. It will be an interesting match as both teams have a good blend of experience and young in their ranks. The most exciting bout of the weekend will also be featured in this match as Delhi Gladiators’ skipper Pawan Maan will take on Maratha Yoddhas’ skipper Deepak Tanwar in the Middle Weight category. Both the boxers have won all their three respective bouts in Super Boxing League, and will aim to continue their unbeaten run in the all-important semi-final clash. The clash will also see another unbeaten boxer from the Delhi Gladiators as their star Shivani Dahiya takes on Maratha Yoddhas’ Lalnunfeli in the Super Fly category.
In the second semi-final which will take place on Sunday, it will be Group B winners North East Tigers who will face off against Group A runners up Haryana Warriors. The two teams will aim to progress to the final of the inaugural edition of SBL as North East Tigers’ captain Asha Roka will take on Haryana Warriors’ Anita Kumari in the Super Fly category. It will be the most anticipated bout of this semi-final match as both the boxers have remained unbeaten this season, the only difference being that Asha Roka has featured in three bouts, while Anita Kumari has fought twice. Haryana Warriors’ Sukhdeep Singh will also be expected to win his bout as he has won all his three bouts so far in SBL. However, the impressive boxer will be up against North East Tigers’ Jitender Nandal in the Super Middle weight category.