Pralhad Panda makes Goa proud : Defends IBC West Zone featherweight title at Susegado strike fight night 3 

Goa Khabar : Goa’s very own professional boxer Pralhad Panda successfully defended his Indian Boxing Council (IBC) West Zone featherweight title, becoming the first Goan to retain the prestigious belt in the professional circuit. Another Goan boxer, Kailas Gauns from Chimbel, also secured the second victory of the night for Goa, winning against his opponent Prasad Katnoor.

In the much-awaited title fight, the 29-year-old from Bastora, Panda, outboxed his challenger Amit Kumar (27) from Pune over eight tough rounds, before winning by a unanimous decision from a panel of three judges, in a gripping eight-round contest held at the Clube Tennis de Gaspar Dias in Miramar during Susegado Strike Fight Night 3, which also featured five other competitive bouts with male and female boxers from across the country.

BJP president Damodar Naik strikes a playful boxing pose with Susegado Strike co-founder Clyde Lobo.

“Defending my title at home was special. I’ve trained here for years and to come back into the ring and win in front of a Goan crowd made it all the more meaningful,” said Panda after his victory, crediting his team and coach for keeping him grounded and focused throughout the build-up.

Twelve professional boxers participated in the third edition of the Fight Night, including local lad Kailas Gauns (30), who faced off against Prasad Katnoor (22) from Virar in Mumbai, in the men’s super flyweight category. Both boxers jostled for victory over six rounds, before Kailas was declared the winner by a split decision over his higher ranked opponent.

Goa’s pride Pralhad Panda celebrates after successfully defending his IBC West Zone Featherweight Championship title.

The official weigh-in ceremony for the event was held on June 27 at Fitness Bar in Panaji. All bouts, including Panda’s title clash, took place at the Sala de Gaspar Hall, at the iconic Miramar club, late on Saturday, where Bharatiya Janata Party state president Damodar Naik was the chief guest.

“It’s truly inspiring to see the dedication, effort and passion that went into making this event a reality… it’s an honour to be a part of an event that not only promotes talent but also brings the community together in such a positive way. I hope this platform helps you grow,” Naik said, after watching the boxers light up the night with their sparring skills and energy.

Susegado Strike co-founders Luigson Fernandes and Clyde Lobo, BJP Goa President Damodar Naik felicitating para-athlete Lloyd Fernandes, with co-founder Prathamesh Naik on the right, at Fight Night 3. Fernandes currently ranks number one in India, in para table tennis in the Class 2 category.

One of the early fixtures of Fight Night 3 was a stunning, but brisk affair involving 22-year-old Maninder Singh from Barnala in Punjab, who took 2:56 minutes in the opening round itself to win by technical knockout against his eight-years-older opponent Bharany Velmurugan (30) from Pondicherry, in the men’s welterweight category.

In the men’s heavyweight bout, Ashish Ahlawat faced off against Taher Khuram (26) from Mumbai. The latter, a boxer of Afghan origin, had a blistering start, knocking down his opponent. However, Ashish held his own despite the early setback, landing some key blows on Taher in the course of the four-round contest. Ashish was eventually declared the winner by a split decision.

In the two bouts featuring women boxers, Amruta Kale (25) from Pune won through a unanimous decision in her six-round slugfest against 19-year-old Saanvi Gandhi from Chennai in the women’s light flyweight category, while Ramandeep Kaur (28) from Bengaluru, took six rounds to be announced a winner through a unanimous decision of the panel of judges, in her battle against teenager Rupika Rani of Abohar in Punjab in the same division.

Speaking after the successful culmination of the professional boxing extravaganza, co-founder of Susegado Strike, Luigson Fernandes, said: “Susegado Strike stands for providing consistent opportunities, fair matchmaking and creating a culture of professionalism in Indian boxing. We are proud to nurture this philosophy here in Goa and provide a competitive platform to local boxers to test their skills on a national stage.”

“We are very passionate about boxing, we’re working hard to make inroads into the boxing circuit. We’re committed to taking it to new heights. With the anniversary fight coming up in about four months, we believe the sky is the limit. That’s why we make it a point to always include two or three women fighters in every event, it’s important to us,” co-founder Prathamesh Naik said.

All participating boxers were registered professionals with prior national-level experience and were matched across recognised weight categories.

Ajay Salvi, Commissioner of IBC, West Zone, said that Fight Night 3 ranked as one of the best professional boxing outings he had been involved in. “I enjoyed every moment of it and so did the entire audience. This is what real professional boxing looks like; boxing with heart, passion and electrifying energy. It wasn’t just a show, it was an experience,” the official said.

Susegado Strike co-founder Clyde Lobo added, “Every deserving boxer, irrespective of gender, should get the stage to prove themselves. Fight Night 3 stayed true to that. Each bout was carefully matched and we’re glad to see Goan talent like Panda and Gauns rise to the occasion again.”

During the event, Damodar Naik also felicitated Lloyd Fernandes for his achievements in para sports.

Fernandes, who ranks number 1 in the country in para table tennis in the Class 2 category was thrilled at the prospect of watching the boxers slug it out during Fight Night 3.

“The energy was electric, the crowd more connected, and we could truly feel every punch and emotion in the ring. The support for the Goan fighters was incredible and gave them a real edge. Boxing’s future looks bright with such passionate organizers,” Fernandes said.