ISLAMABAD, Jan. 9 (Xinhua) -- China claimed four gold medals in the inaugural Benazir Bhutto International Boxing Championship that concluded Friday evening in the south Pakistani port city of Karachi, local media said Saturday.

    The Chinese showed their class with a brilliant display of punching and superb technique to earn handsome cheers and appreciation from a packed arena.

    China ended the evening when Li Heshuai outscored Ghson of Syria in a close contest in the super heavyweight category to give his country the fourth gold medal.

    All seven Chinese pugilists ended the championship in style by winning four gold, one silver and two bronze medals for the top position in the 20-nation contest.

    Pakistan, who fielded two teams, claimed one gold, three silver and eight bronze medals. Syria got two gold and two silver medals and Thailand picked up two gold medals.

    After Chinese Yong Dang won the gold on walkover in bantamweight division, Hu Sile of China received heavy punishment from Moutafa Fara of Syria to contend with a silver medal. Fara landed hard blows on Hu's face and body to register an impressive win and the second gold for Syria after Ibrahim Sand's win in the lightweight category.

    Bao Xuan gave China its third gold when he bulldozed Mustufa Muhammad of Iraq with hard punches on the nose in the heavyweight bout. The referee had to clean Mustufa's nose twice due to bleeding. However, another blow on the nose saw Referee Stop Contest (RSC) to save Mustafa from injury.

    Pakistan started the day in great fashion in light flyweight bout when Mohib Bacha outscored compatriot Nadir Baloch 4-0 to grab the gold.

    However, in the fly-weight bout Anan Pongkhet of Thailand defeated Pakistan Abdul Waheed Baloch 2-1 in a close but cautious contest. Adnan Hussain of Pakistan went down to Ibrahim Sanda of Syria in lightweight category 6-2. Ibrahim showed his brilliance in punching power, footwork and solid defence.

    Pakistani federal sports minister Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani, world boxing champion Amir Khan, federal minister for inter-provincial coordination Pir Syed Aftab Hussain Shah Jilani, Sindh sports minister Dr Muhammad Ali Shah and Pakistan Boxing Federation (PBF)President Doda Khan Bhutto were guest of honors at the awarding ceremony.

    The one-week boxing championship in Karachi, named after the slain former Prime Minister of Pakistan Shaheed Benazir Bhutto, is the first international sporting event in Pakistan after attack on the Sri Lanka cricket team in the eastern Pakistani city of Lahoreon March 3, 2009.

    "The holding of the event is a major big breakthrough for Pakistan sports," said the PBF chief Doda Khan Bhutto.