MELBOURNE, March 22: Meherullah Lassi assured of a bronze when he advanced to the semfinals of the Commonwealth Games featherweight category with an impressive 25-11 points victory over Scotland’s Jason Hastie on Wednesday. Impressive and fleet-footed Meher was always in command against his Scottish rival and landed punches at will.

But there was a disappointment for Pakistan camp when another medal hope Asghar Ali Shah was well beaten by Mauritius boxer Givoanni Frontin 23-11 in the lightweight.

Asghar was always fighting a losing battle against Frontin who never allowed the Pakistani to settle down with stinging jabs and solid rights. Australian teenager Leonardo Zappavigna blazed his way into the semifinals of the lightweight division at the Commonwealth Games boxing Wednesday to set up a showdown with English medal hope Frankie Gavin.

Zappavigna ripped through Karimu Matumla of Tanzania in quick time outscoring him 24-4 and forcing the referee to call a halt just 35 seconds into the second round.

But the 18-year-old Aussie will have a much tougher semifinal opponent with Gavin, who technically impressed in outscoring Nigeria’s Rasheed Lawal 23-3 1:13 into the third round.

Zappavigna ensured the Australian boxing team will collect at least six bronze medals and joined middleweight Jarrod Fletcher, featherweight Luke Jackson, light-heavyweight Ben McEachran, heavyweight Brad Pitt and super-heavyweight Steve Rudic in Thursday’s semifinals.

South African welterweight Bongani Mwelase overpowered Moabi Mothiba of Botswana on the 20-point rule early in the second round. He hit Mothiba with some head punches to finish off the contest at 23-3 after only 49 seconds of the second round.

He will fight Nigerian Olufemi Ajayi, who clung on in the best fight of the night for a 37-32 points win after weathering a storming final comeback from Swaziland’s Musa ‘Swissroll’ Ngozo.

Impressive Indian welterweight Vijender looks a good medal hope after putting away Scotland’s Kris Carslaw early in the second round after reaching a 20-point lead and stopping the contest.

Vijender will have Englishman Neil Perkins in the semifinals after Perkins accounted for Northern Ireland’s Thomas Hamill 36-19.

India’s sweet-moving Akhil Kumar had a clear-cut 34-20 points win over South African Bongani ‘Wonder Boy’ Mahlangu to reach the bantamweight semifinals.

Kumar showcased his quick counter-punching style and was ahead early on points.

Louis Julie of Mauritius outpointed Welshman Matthew Edmonds 21-8 on points to set up a semifinal bout with heavy-punching Mmoloki Nogeng of Botswana.

Results (quarterfinals):

Featherweight:

Darren Edwards (WAL) bt Eddey Kalai (MAS) pts 36-14; Stephen Smith (ENG) bt Diwakar Prasad (IND) ret; Luke Jackson (AUS) bt Sharif Bogere (UGA) pts 18-12; Lassi Mehrullah (PAK) bt Jason Hastie (SCO) pts 25-11

Lightweight:

Charles Menya (KEN) bt Colomban Kaldjob (CMR) pts 24-8; Giovanni Frontin (MRI) bt Asghar Ali Shah (PAK) pts 23-11; Leonardo Zappavigna (AUS) bt Karimu Matumla (TAN) RSC Rd2; Frankie Gavin (ENG) bt Rasheed Lawal (NGR) RSC Rd3.—Agencies