~ Goa’s Kailas Gauns and Pralhad Panda won by technical knockouts in the flyweight and featherweight categories, respectively.
~ Susegado Strike Fight Night is the first-of-its-kind boxing extravaganza to be held in Goa.
Goan boxers Kailas Gauns and Pralhad Panda came up trumps at the Susegado Strike Fight Night, knocking out their respective opponents at Goa’s first major boxing extravaganza, held at Dona Paula.
Chimbel’s 30-year-old boxer, Kailas Gauns, 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.’ Gauns, a Mike Tyson-idolising school dropout, stunned the audience in his debut fight with his aggressive blitz, winning the contest in a mere 1.50 seconds in the first round itself, making light work of Sanjay’s defences in the super flyweight category.
Mapusa’s Pralhad Panda had to be more patient in the ring, before eventually defeating his opponent, Radhivarman from Tamil Nadu in the first round of the match, with a TKO in the featherweight category. Pralhad, 28, works as a personal trainer and was preparing with vigour for the contest over the last few months.
The Fight Night spread over a high-energy late evening of punches and precision, as the professional boxers, drawn from various parts of the country, including two from Goa, battled for honour and victory at the International Centre Goa at Dona Paula. The event featured six intense bouts spread across weight categories and gender.
The Goan contenders, Kailas and Pralhad Panda from Mapusa, put up spirited performances, as did other competitors from Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Kerala, Haryana and Madhya Pradesh, who competed across weight divisions ranging from feather to cruiserweight (52 kgs to over 90 kgs). Two female boxers were also in participation at the event, further underscoring the inclusive spirit of the event.
In the only bout featuring women boxers, Raj Sahiba, who hails from the country’s boxing capital of Hissar in Haryana, defeated Muskan Srivastava from Indore in Madhya Pradesh in the super lightweight category, winning her match comfortably over three rounds.
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 before conceding defeat. 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 Strikes 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.
