Lovlina Borgohain and Sachin Siwach secured victories, leading a strong Indian contingent into the finals of the BOXAM Elite International Tournament. Twelve Indian boxers, including eight women and four men, will compete for gold.
Former Youth World Championships gold medallist Poonam Poonia produced a fearless display to hand defending 54kg champion Sakshi Chaudhary a shock defeat, causing the first major upset of the National Boxing Championships in Greater Noida on Thursday.
Nikhat, Lovlina win titles at Boxing Nationals; Hussamuddin caps comeback with gold
Star boxers, including Nikhat Zareen and Minakshi Hooda, lived up to their top billing with easy wins but the spotlight once again fell on questionable refereeing as the National Boxing Championships were marred by fresh controversy and a disrupted bout, in Greater Noida, on Wednesday.
The year began on an unusually dull note with boxers absent from most international competition in the aftermath of a medal-less Olympic campaign.
Nikhat, Jaismine and four other Indian boxers march into finals
Indian women boxers, led by star pugilist Nikhat Zareen, lived up to their top billings to claim seven gold medals, while Hitesh Gulia and Sachin Siwach also clinched the coveted yellow metal at the World Boxing Cup Finals in Greater Noida on Thursday.
In the women's competition, Minakshi began her campaign with a clean 5-0 win over Australia's Madeleine Bowen in the light flyweight division, while Muskan edged England's Kerry Davis 3-2 in a closely contested middleweight category bout.
Unseeded in the draw, Nikhat overcame a scrappy women's 51kg round of 16 contest to secure a unanimous decision, though the scoreline did not reflect the stiff resistance from her 21-year-old opponent.
World Boxing Championships 2025: Pawan Bartwal registers hard-fought win over Trindade
While the women scripted history, delivering India's best-ever overseas showing, the men endured a humbling low, returning without a single medal for the first time in 12 years.
He will face Turki Abuquthailah of Kuwait in the Round of 16.
On Friday, Sachin Siwach opened India's account with a win in the 57kg category against New Zealand's Alex Mukuka.
Narender Berwal (+92kg) also put up a strong fight against Ecuador's Gerlon Gilmar Congo Chala but it wasn't enough to advance to the next round
India's Sachin Siwach (57kg), Sanjeet Kumar (92kg), Amit Panghal (51kg) and Jaismine (women's 57kg) took another step towards Paris Olympic qualification as they registered convincing victories over their respective opponents to advance in the Boxing World Qualifiers in Bangkok on Thursday.
Jaismine Lamboria registered a dominant victory over Ana Marija Milisic of Switzerland to enter the 57kg quarter-finals of the World Olympic Boxing Qualifier in Bangkok.
World Championships silver medallist Amit Panghal qualified for the Paris Olympic after defeating China's Chuang Liu in the 51kg quarter-finals of the second World Qualification Tournament in Bangkok on Sunday.
Sachin Siwach showcased his technical prowess to register a 5-0 unanimous decision win
Indian pugilists will be determined to overcome the recent setbacks both inside and outside the boxing ring when they aim for the last available tickets to the Olympic Games at the second World Qualification Tournament, starting in Bangkok on Friday.
Tokyo Olympian and 2019 Asian Championships silver medallist Ashish Chaudhary will also be representing the country for the second time and would be keen to add another major medal to his name.
India's schedule at the Asian Games in Hangzhou, on Tuesday, September 26.
World Championship medallist Amit Panghal and Sachin Siwach struck gold at the 75th Strandja Memorial tournament.
Deepak brushed aside China's Zhangh Jiamao by a 5-0 unanimous verdict
World boxing champion Lovlina Borgohain locked an Olympic quota for herself by advancing to the final in the women's 75kg category at the Asian Games.
Responding to a petition filed by three boxers over their non-selection for the upcoming Asian Games, the Union Sports Ministry on Monday told the Punjab and Haryana High Court it has no role in the selection of athletes.
Asian Games selections were biased, made to feel unworthy in national camp, claims Panghal
India have fielded a strong contingent led by two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen and Olympic bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain.
India thus finished the tournament with a silver and five bronze medals, gold eluding the country for a second successive edition.
Now, boxer Gaurav Bidhuri cries foul at exclusion from Olympic qualifiers' trial.
Jeswin Aldrin, who had already qualified for the championships, however missed the cut.
Asian silver-medallist Sumit Sangwan (91kg) and World silver-medallist Sarjubala Devi (51kg) are among four Indian boxers assured of medals after scoring facile victories in the inaugural India Open, for men and women, in Delhi on Monday.
MC Mary Kom and the seasoned L Sarita Devi spearheaded India's gold rush at the second India Open boxing tournament, which concluded on Friday.
A livid Mary Kom asked her vanquished opponent Nikhat Zareen to prove herself in the ring instead of making irritating comments.
The swimmers led India's charge on Saturday by winning 7 gold, 1 silver and 1 bronze as they completely dominated the pool yet again.
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Wednesday
Summary of sports events and persons who made news on Monday
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Saturday
A summary of sports events and sports persons, who made news on Monday
An Olympic campaign saved by the fortitude of three women, a cricket team that rediscovered itself under a bold and zealous Virat Kohli -- Indian sports in 2016 was a dramatic mix of highs and lows wherein athletes mostly raised the bar but administrators found new ways to embarrass the country.