Team Goemkarponn
Panaji: Twelve boxers from across India, including two from Goa, will take center stage at a boxing extravaganza that promises to showcase the sport of boxing in the coastal state of Goa, which is aspiring to become a hub for big-ticket sporting events.
Scheduled to be held on December 6, at the International Centre Goa, Dona Paula, Susegado Strike’s Fight Night, Goa’s first professional boxing extravaganza will feature six bouts, each lasting four to six rounds. Twelve experienced boxers from diverse backgrounds and from various parts of the country, will compete, displaying their skill, strength and dedication at an action-packed evening.
Apart from the two Goan pugilists Kailas Gauns and Pralhad Panda, other boxers lined up for the Sussegado Strike Fight Night hail from Agra, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Haryana and Indore. The boxers will compete in several weight categories – feather, bantam, welter, super-fly and cruiser – all ranging from 52 kgs to over 90 kgs. The boxing match will range from four to six rounds depending on the weight category.
The line-up of boxers, which includes two female athletes, consists of experienced pugilists who have participated in national level tournaments in the country.
The official weigh-ins will take place a day prior, on December 5, which is expected to set the tone for the high-stakes ring.
“Susegado Strike is more than a boxing promotion company— it’s a celebration of contrasts. Goa teaches us that strength and serenity can coexist. Through this event and the launch of Goa’s first professional boxing promotion, we aim to honour both the art of boxing and the culturally intrinsic calm and contented spirit of Goa, cultivating not just champions in the ring but warriors in life,” said Luigson Fernandes, one of the three co-founders of Susegado Strike.
The organisation of the boxing spectacle comes at a time when the Goa government is keen on promoting the tourism-savvy state as the country’s prime destination for major sports events.
“Goa is already well known as a destination for beach and nightlife tourism and a hub of culture and the culinary arts. The state has been making progress in projecting itself as a destination for major sporting events like the IRONMAN 70.3 Goa, Indian Super League, hosting FIFA under-17 Women’s World Cup matches, among others. With the hosting of Susegado Strike Fight Night, which draws experienced boxers from across India, Goa can position itself as a destination for big ticket boxing events,” Prathamesh Naik, a co-founder said.
“Indian boxers including those from Goa have the grit and skill to be able to compete at the national and international stage. They are motivated and train hard. We look forward to seeing boxers step up and showcase that skill and passion in the ring,” added Clyde Lobo, the co-founder.
The founders — Clyde Lobo, Prathamesh Naik and Luigson Fernandes — envision Susegado Strike as a platform to inspire resilience and respect, both inside and outside the ring, putting the pugilism-related tenets of honour, discipline, and the enduring spirit of competition, above all else, in the pecking order.
The evening will also feature live entertainment performances.
