Liverpool: Pawan Bartwal provided India a winning start to their World Boxing Championships campaign as he got the better of Brazil’s Michael Douglas Trindade, a Paris Olympian, in a close men’s 55kg bout in Liverpool, UK, on Thursday.

Bartwal displayed his boxing acumen under pressure in the third and final round to keep his Brazilian opponent at bay and still impress the judges with his punches to win the first round bout 3:2.

The two boxers were deadlocked after the first two rounds with Trindade nullifying Bartwal’s advantage in the second round.

India has fielded a 20-member contingent at the inaugural World Championships being held under the aegis of the World Boxing – a recently formed international governing body for boxing — and are looking to underline their growing stature in world boxing.

Three other Indians — Sakshi (women’s 54kg), Sanamacha Chanu (women’s 70kg) and Harsh Choudhary (men’s 90kg) will in action in the evening session.