On Tuesday afternoon in Hamburg, when he beat Tunisia's Bilel Mhamedi in the quarterfinals of the Boxing World Championships Gaurav Bidhuri gained access to a very exclusive club. He had assured himself of a medal at the world stage. Only three Indian men before him (Vijender Singh in 2009, Vikas Krishan in 2011 and Shiva Thapa in 2015) had ever done the same.

"It is unbelievable. I have been struggling with severe back pain for the last 7-8 months," Bidhuri said after the match. "But nothing could stop me as I was determined to create history. Now I am closer to make that dream come true," he said.

Few would have predicted Bidhuri to join them. Vijender Singh had an Olympic medal before his Worlds' medal, while Vikas had won gold at the 2010 Asian Games before his. Shiva Thapa was a Youth Olympic silver medallist, the reigning Asian Champion and already the youngest Indian boxing Olympian before his World medal. In contrast, Bidhuri's medal cabinet is bare. At the national camp, the 24-year-old is well known for his penchant for quirky haircuts and snappy clothes - an addiction he shares with close friend Thapa - but his boxing technique isn't the most highly rated. Bidhuri learned boxing in Delhi, which has produced few results at the national level. His best result as a senior at home was a silver at the 2012 Hyderabad Nationals. Internationally, he has competed at the 2014 Asian Games, where he lost his second bout.

Bidhuri wasn't even supposed to take part in the World Championships. In the 2017 Asian Championships in Tashkent, which was supposed to serve as a qualifying event for Hamburg, Bidhuri lost in the quarterfinals. Only the top six finishers were supposed to qualify and Bidhuri would lose a box-off for that quota too. He was only thrown a lifeline when another boxer from Bhutan gave up his quota. Bidhuri grasped it with both hands.

He had gone into the competition in strong form, winning the 48th Grand Prix in Usti Nad Labem, Czech Republic. It was his first international title.

In Hamburg, Bidhuri beat Australia's Sam Goodman before pulling off a big upset when he took a majority decision over former world bronze medallist Mykola Butsenko of Ukraine. His bout against Tunisia's Bilel Mhamedi, a 2016 Olympian, was on paper a tricky matchup. Mhamedi had the reach advantage, meaning all he had to do was plug Bidhuri with the jab and score in safety.

Against Bidhuri though, the coaching manual is irrelevant. Far from the most attractive fighter to watch, he tends to swarm his opponent. While his technique might not inspire purists, few can deny that Bidhuri is an extremely game fighter. He was one of the few Indian boxers who willingly chose to participate at the World Series of Boxing, a semi-professional league run by the International Federation, where he often paid out of his own pocket in order to compete. Bidhuri did reasonably well for the Italia Thunder team in 2015, finishing with a 4-4 record - the best by an Indian at the tournament. Along the way he would beat 2016 Olympic bronze medallist Vladimir Nikitin.

Gaurav Bidhuri BAY ISMOYO/AFP/Getty Images

It was the same gritty style he brought to the ring against Mhamedi. His plan was simple. "I kept my mind controlled and focused on the match. I won the first two rounds and then focused on maintaining the lead," Bidhuri explained.

He took a few shots from the Tunisian as he closed in the distance but made it count as he opened up with uppercuts inside the pocket. He closed out the first round with strong work on the inside and jerked Mhamedi's head back in the second round with a straight right.

Bidhuri benefited from Mahmedi's tic of leading with his forehead as the Tunisian was penalized a point for his efforts. It wasn't the most egregious offense, and indeed it was Mhamedi who would eventually suffer a cut on his forehead, but Bidhuri drew on every possible advantage he could. He repeatedly grimaced in overly dramatic fashion each time Mhamedi led with his forehead. His play-acting eventually convinced the referee to dock the Tunisian a point. The deduction would be crucial in his win. Bidhuri won three cards by a single point while two judges scored the bout as a draw. If Mhamedi had not been penalized he would have taken the decision.

As it stands, it is Bidhuri who will go into the semi-finals and bid for a historic final appearance. In his path stands Duke Ragan of USA. The American is an extremely stylish and skilled boxer and must go into the contest as the favourite. However, after Bidhuri's unexpected run at Hamburg, count him out only at your own peril.