The tension for the Gorkha Boxing Championship Season 2 reached its peak during the official weigh-ins and faceoffs on Friday, as boxers from Nepal and India cleared their final physical hurdle before stepping nose-to-nose with their rivals.

The second season is seeing seven fights across different weight categories. Of them, five bouts are between Nepal and Indian boxers.

The main event of the night will see Nepal’s Poonam Pun face India’s Mehakpreet Sidhu in the bantamweight division. Both passed their weigh-in, and their faceoff suggested that the fight is going to be intense.

“I am extremely interested in the fight,” Pun said. “It will be an intense fight.”

Pun’s record stands at four wins, three losses and a draw in her last eight fights. Sidhu, meanwhile, has four wins, 10 losses and a draw.

Pun did not seem under any pressure before sharing the ring against an Indian opponent. The reason: seven of her eight fights have been against Indian boxers.

On the other hand, Nepal’s Bharat Chand is fighting India’s Ankit Kumar at the super welterweight division in the co-main event of the night.

Chand, with a 5-2 record, is facing Kumar, who replaced India’s Ashok Krishna Patil. “Patil withdrew citing an injury in his hand,” informed Sujit Kumar Pun Magar, manager of the championship.

The duo was gentle in the faceoff, ending it with smiles and a handshake. But it is something that will not be visible in the ring when they start exchanging punches.

Similarly, Nepal’s April Rana will be in the ring for his second professional fight against India’s Shanborlang Marbaniang (5-5-2) in the super flyweight division. Rana, who has an amateur record of 2-3, had defeated India’s Lakshay Sunaria by unanimous decision in the first season in May.

Sunaria, meanwhile, will be fighting Nepal’s Funglang Kambang in the flyweight division. It will also be Kambang’s second professional fight, having knocked down India’s Sandeep Kumar in the first round in the first season.

Not one of the main events of the fight, but the most entertaining one is expected to be between Nepal’s Milan Sharki and India’s Sahil Chouhan.

Sharki, who is always on a high, is known as the mini Mike Tyson of Nepal. The faceoff between Sharki and Chouhan was itself intense, making fans eager to see how the fight will turn out. As per Sharki, he will “eat up” his opponent.

“I have prepared well for this fight,” Sharki said. “My opponent is scared. Sleep well [Sahil], because I want a good fight tomorrow.”

Sharki is also one of the most experienced boxers in the overall event, having fought 40 fights—37 wins and three losses. One of that loss came in the first season, when he lost by a majority decision against India’s Harish Singh.

But Sharki, who has won eight gold medals and two silvers across different tournaments, says it will not be something that will hold him back. Sharki, who has also tried his might in MMA, will be the one to watch out.

“101 per cent,” Sharki shouted. “I am going to win 101 per cent.”

Chouhan, meanwhile, stayed calm in the faceoff, saying that he will reply in the ring. Despite how their faceoff went, the duo was seen exchanging smiles later.

The tournament will begin with two fights between Nepali boxers. Bibek Magar vs Ayush Shrestha in the super flyweight division will be the opening fight, followed by Rabin KC vs Sohan Rai.

“We have planned to organise this promotion on a quarterly basis. It means four fight nights in a year,” Santosh Bikram Shah, chairman of the promotion, told the Post. “We have tried to give a platform for Nepali boxers to test their might against good fighters outside the country. We believe it will be of great help in their long career.”

Post Photo

Boxers and organisers gather for a group photo following the official weigh-ins and faceoffs for the Gorkha Boxing Championship Season 2 in Kathmandu on Friday.