Laishram Devendro, Vikas Krishan to lead 9-member Indian team at 2016 Rio Olympic qualifier at Baku

New Delhi: Commonwealth Games silver-medalist Laishram Devendro (49 kg) and Asian Games bronze-medalist Vikas Krishan (75 kg) will lead a nine-member Indian team at the boxing World Olympic qualifiers at Baku, Azerbaijan, starting June 16.

Indian team is expected to do whatever is required to earn more Olympic spots in what may well be the last qualifier before the 2016 Rio Games. So far, Indian have earned only one spot -- thanks to Shiva Thapa in the 56 kg category, who booked his Rio berth at the Asian Olympic qualifiers in March.

India had sent eight boxers in the 2012 London Games, but this time, it has become a big disappointment with some big names failing to qualify for the quadrennial event.

Besides, Devendro and Vikas, Commonwealth Games silver medalist Mandeep Jangra in the 69 kg slot, CWG gold medalist Manoj Kumar for 64 kg, Gaurav Bidhuri for the 52 kg division are also in the nine-member team.

The finalists in the light-flyweight and flyweight divisions will qualify for the Olympics, while the top-five will get Rio berths in the remaining eight weight divisions.

After the Baku event, there will be a separate qualifier for professional and semi-professional boxers in Venezuela in early July. It will be the final Olympi

c qualifying event before 2016 Rio Games.

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Team: L Devendro (49 kg) Gaurav Bidhuri (52 kg), Dheeraj Rangi (60 kg), Manoj Kumar (64 kg), Mandeep Jangra (69 kg), Vikas Krishan (75 kg), Sumit Sangwan (81 kg), Amritpreet Singh (91 kg), Satish kumar (+91 kg).