NEW DELHI: Shiva Thapa on Saturday became the first Indian to win a gold medal in the final of the President's Cup boxing tournament in Astana, Kazakhstan. Four-time Asian medallist Shiva Thapa made the feat after getting a walkover in the final. Thapa, who made his new weight class 63 kg (Olympic class) international debut, had to face Kazakhstan's Zakir Safiullin in the final, who did not land in the ring due to injury.

Thapa was declared the winner without playing. Thapa could not make it to the team due to his defeat by Commonwealth Games silver medallist Manish Kaushik in the trials for the World Championships in September. India's two other boxers Duryodhan Singh Negi (69 kg) and Sweetie Bora (81 kg) had to settle for bronze in the semifinals. Asian Games gold medallist Amit Panghal (52 kg) however, crashed out of the quarterfinals without a medal.

Thapa, who played in the 60 kg category before the change in the Olympic weight class, told PTI, "It was easy to mould himself in the new weight class. I did not face too much difficulty. Obviously, given the strength of the 64 kg weight class boxers, it was difficult to face them but nothing impossible. ''

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