Naaz Ghani By Express News Service CHENNAI: She could hear the crowd cheering in the background. The right hook she received made the sound seem distant. A loud sound kept ringing in her head. S Priya, a 15-year-old student of ABK Boxing Academy was facing a worthy opponent from the Chennai Boxing Club. Her coach yelled at her to get back into the game, from outside the rink. She had trained for four months for the President’s Cup 2020 - State Level Boxing Championship. “I began playing two years back. The game is all about mental control. The calmer you are, the quicker your thoughts and actions get,” she said. Winner in the women’s under-40 kg weight category, Priya stood by what she had learned and won with an upper-cut that took down her opponent. The tournament was organised by the Tamil Nadu Boxing Association on Sunday at Gopalapuram Grounds. The event had participants from Tiruchy, Madurai, Chidambaram and Coimbatore. Men, women and children wearing boxing shoes gathered at the arena. Nina Reddy, joint MD and chairman of Savera Hotel, graced the event as chief guest. In the beginning of a boxing match, one player generally takes the lead in the first round. You can see it in their eyes. One is calm, reflects confidence and a sense of superiority even. The other is more alert, aggressive even. One can see the adrenaline guiding their actions in the rink. During the course of the game, a shift in the power dynamics can easily be observed. All it takes is one right hook or an unexpected series of jabs, to break the confidence. “Foot work is most important. Balance can win you a match. My coach always asks us to avoid being cornered. One needs to keep moving to stay in the game,” said Nitya Priya, a 10-year-old boxer from the ABK Boxing Academy. She won the Girls Under-20 kg weight category. “I started boxing when I was eight years old. I liked the sport and my coach encouraged me to participate. This is my first win. I feel happy and motivated to practice and get better,” she said. Men and women from the respective weight categories — Under-80 kg, 60 kg, 40 kg and 20 kg — fought for the title of champion. The matches went on till after the sun had set. Even in the floodlights one could see determination reflect on the players’ faces. “I came here to win. I may have gotten overconfident. My opponent was a worthy match. I lost my footing during the match and lost it by a point. It’s a learning. I will be back next year, better prepared,” said Abhishek, a finalist in the Boys Under-20 kg category. At the match Men and women from the respective weight categories — Under-80 kg, 60 kg, 40 kg and 20 kg — fought for the champion title.

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