Belgrade: The five-time Asian Medal Medal Shiva Thapa (63.5kg) stands only one victory from being the first Indian men’s boxer who claimed two world championship medals after he advanced to the ongoing edition quarter-finals here.
The 27-year-old from Assam beat the French lounge Hamraoui 4-1 in the pre-quarter-final fight late at night on Monday to continue.
Thapa has claimed a bronze medal in the 2015 edition of the tournament in Doha.
He was the only Indian boxer who registered a victory on Monday after four others, including Deepak-Medal-Medal Asia Deepak Bohria (51kg), bowed from the competition.
Thapa will directly fight the Turkish Oezmen Kerem in the quarter-finals on Tuesday night.
Monday night’s victory also took revenge on Thapa, who lost to Hamraoui in the Alexis Vastine Memorial tournament in Nantes, France last year.
Apart from Thapa, four other Indians will also fight their quarter-final fight on Tuesday night.
Akash Kumar (54kg) will face Finol Joel Venezuela.
Narender Bermwal (+ 92kg) will fight Mahammad Abdullayev’s Azerbaijan, while Nishant Dev (71kg) will take Vadim Musaev from Russia.
Respond to the Asian championship (92kg), which is the quarter finalist in the last edition of the event, will face Aziz Abbes Mouhiidine Italy.
The golden winner in the showpiece will run away with a prize of USD 100,000.
The silver medalist must be given USD 50,000, and both bronze medalists will be given by USD 25,000.
The total gift wallet stands above USD 2.6 million.
India is represented by national champions who rule throughout heavy categories.