Goan boxers Kailas Gauns and Pralhad Panda came up trumps at the Susegado Strike Fight Night at Dona Paula.
Kailas Gauns from Chimbel, coming strong off the blocks vanquished his opponent Sanjay S from Tamil Nadu with a technical knockout (TKO) in the very first round at the much awaited ‘Fight Night.’
The 30-year-old Gauns, a Mike Tyson-idolising boxer, stunned the audience in his debut fight with his aggressive blitz, winning the contest in a mere 1 minute 30 seconds, making light work of Sanjay’s defences in the super flyweight category.
Mapusa-based Pralhad Panda had to be more patient in the ring, before eventually defeating his opponent, Radhivarman from Tamil Nadu, with a TKO in the featherweight category. The 28-year-old works as a personal trainer and was preparing with vigour for the contest over the last few months.
The Fight Night saw professional boxers drawn from various parts of the country, including two from Goa, battle for honour and victory at the International Centre Goa lawns; with six bouts in different weight categories (52 kgs to over 90 kgs) being watched by enthusiastic spectators.
Most boxers were new to professional boxing, but showed a good attitude in the ring. They came from Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh.
Two female boxers were also in participation at the event, further underscoring the inclusive spirit of the event. Raj Sahiba, who hails from the country’s boxing capital of Hissar in Haryana, defeated Muskan Shrivastava from Indore in Madhya Pradesh in the super lightweight category by unanimous decision.
In other matches, Tamil Nadu’s Aswin V defeated Umar Rinosh from Kerala in the welterweight category over six rounds, while Aditya Jhangu from Haryana trounced his opponent Abilas K, from Tamil Nadu, with a TKO in the cruiserweight category in the second round. Abilas lasted just 1:12 minutes in the second round. Telangana’s Mohammad Junaid, knocked out Uttar Pradesh’s Kuldeep Tarkar in the second round in the bantamweight category.
The official weigh-ins held a day earlier set the stage for a thrilling showdown, building anticipation among boxing enthusiasts in the state.
“Susegado Strike Fight Night was more than just a sporting event; it was a celebration of resilience, a key ingredient in the sport of boxing and serenity, a quality synonymous with Goa. The boxers displayed not only strength but also discipline and sportsmanship, embodying the true spirit of pugilism,” said Luigson Fernandes, one of the co-founders of Susegado Strike, adding that the next edition of the ‘Fight Night’ would be held in February next year.
The other co-founders are Clyde Lobo, a former two-time national boxing championship contestant and Prathamesh Naik, a Goan businessman and film producer.
The success of Susegado Strike Fight Night further solidifies Goa’s emerging status as a hub for big-ticket sports events, aligning with the state government’s vision to promote the region as a destination for major tournaments. The first-of-its-kind boxing extravaganza also featured live entertainment, adding to the vibrant atmosphere around the ring for the audience to soak in.
