New Delhi : WBC Asian champion Neeraj Goyat (69kg) failed to secure an Olympic ticket as he went down 0-3 in the box-off of the International Boxing Association’s Olympic Qualifying Tournament for professional boxers in Vargas, Venezuela on Friday.
The 24-year-old Neeraj, who had lost 0-3 to second-seeded German Arajik Marutjan in the semifinal yesterday, was beaten by Spaniard Sissokho Ndiaye Youba in today’s box-off to determine the third Olympic qualifier in the category as the finalists have taken the top two slots. He settled for a bronze medal.
Neeraj’s loss ended India’s hopes of securing a quota berth at the final Olympic qualifying tournament for boxing as Gaurav Bidhuri (52kg) and Dilbag Singh (81kg) had already bowed out after first-round losses.
India will thus have only three boxers — Shiva Thapa (56kg), Manoj Kumar (64kg) and Vikas Krishan (75kg) — in the Games scheduled next month.
