Dar Es Salaam — ONLY one boxer from Tanzania has remained in contention for medal in the ongoing Commonwealth Boxing Championships at the Talkatora Boxing Stadium in New Delhi, India.

Hashim Petro, who put up an impressive performance on Sunday to beat Leong Jun Hao from Singapore 10-1 in Light Welterweight (64 kg) fight, is the only Tanzanian boxer still standing tall in the championships, while seven others have been shown the exit door.

According the Boxing Federation of Tanzania (BFT) Information Officer, Eckland Mwafisi, Petro was scheduled to get into the ring late today for the semi-final bout.

On Monday Tanzanian Leonard Machichi, who won the first round fight against Obeid Mbwakonao of England on 4-1 points in the Light Heavy 81kg bout, failed to impress in the second round.

He lost to Indian Dinesh Kumar, forcing the referee to stop the contest in the third round. The Indian was leading 8-1.

Indian Olympic bronze medallist Vijender Singh was in a rampaging form and the referee had to stop the contest after his opponent Selemani Kidunda of Tanzania suffered head injury in the third round.

But by then, Vijender had taken a huge lead of 10-1.

Other Tanzanian boxers who lost their fights include Rajabu Mbwana, who was overpowered by Amandeep Singh by 9-1 in the Light Flyweight (49 kg) category.

Captain Joseph Martin who had a bright start on Friday, beating Bowyn Morgan from New Zealand 10-3, found the going tough in the next round after going down by 0-2 points in the 75kg fight at the hands of Sri Lankan R. Tharanga Jayathlake.

Another Tanzanian boxer, Sunday Elias, was overwhelmed by Oliver Lavigi from Mauritius on 2-6 points in the 52 kg scramble on Saturday.

On Friday Nasser Mafuru and Revocatus Shomari lost their respective fights. Mafuru went down 18-0 to Darren Edwards from Wales, while Shomari was beaten by Michael Roberts from Scotland 12-3.

The championship is being treated as a test event by the Organising Committee Commonwealth Games Delhi 2010 en route to the games in October 2010.

It has attracted over 100 boxers participating from 14 countries.

The championship is supposed to wind up on Wednesday.