In a thrilling boxing showdown, Indian boxer Ashish Bhandor emerged victorious in a remarkable feat by securing the Asian Boxing Federation (ABF) Continental Heavyweight title. The battle took place at the renowned Spaceplus Club in Bangkok, where Ashish faced off against the home crowd favorite, Aekkaphob Auraiwan (5-1), in a fiercely competitive bout that went the distance of 10 rounds.
The judges’ scores of 93:96, 95:96, and 95:94 reflected the intensity and tightness of the bout, with Ashish ultimately claiming the title by a Split Decision from the 3 Judges.
The encounter ignited in the opening round when Ashish unleashed an overhand right cross that caught Aekkaphob off guard, sending shockwaves through the Thai corner and the local spectators. The Referee gave the mandatory Knockdown count and Ashish went on the front foot in the remaining seconds of the round hoping to close out the fight quickly. Aekkaphob, however, displayed incredible resilience, mounting a strong comeback in the subsequent rounds with powerful body shots that visibly impacted Ashish. He clearly won Round 2 and Round 3.
Nonetheless, from the 4th round onward, Ashish regained control and showcased his skillful technique, winning six out of the overall ten rounds.
Amateur Boxing National Bronze Medalist in 2022
Prior to this remarkable triumph, Ashish had proven his mettle as a National Amateur Bronze medallist in 2022. He now has an unblemished professional boxing record of 4 wins and no losses.
The young boxer from Himachal owes part of his success to the guidance of his manager, top ranked Indian Middleweight Brijesh Meena, and their promotions company CSM Promotions India. Brijesh Meena, a current professional boxer himself and a three-time Asian title winner, has been instrumental in guiding Ashish and other promising fighters towards the path of success.
Following his historic triumph, Brijesh expressed his elation, stating, “I am extremely happy for Ashish. This was a great win for us on the Asian Pro circuit. If good Amateurs come forward, we can really dominate in Asia. The money is good, the fights are good. Indian Amateur boxers need to start making their move to Pro Boxing in such environments.”
A Pakistani Challenge
The victory catapulted Ashish Bhandor into the spotlight, and shortly after the bout, reigning WBC Asian Continental Heavyweight Champion Taimoor Khan of Pakistan issued a bold challenge, calling for a title defense against Ashish in front of the entire crowd at Spaceplus Club, Bangkok. While Ashish and his management team have yet to respond officially, the prospect of this highly anticipated showdown has already generated significant excitement among boxing enthusiasts across the continent.
As Ashish revels in his well-deserved triumph, his win serves as a testament to the burgeoning talent pool in Indian boxing and paves the way for a promising future in the professional circuit. With determination and skill, he has proven himself a force to be reckoned with and could potentially become a dominant figure in the Asian boxing arena.
