Can Glasgow Gold Turn Into Asian Games Glory For Indian Boxers?

With the curtains barely down on Glasgow, attention turns to a bigger stage.

Indian boxing has long been a medal mainstay at the Asian Games, with 61 medals making it the sport’s fourth-biggest contributor to India’s overall tally, behind athletics, shooting and wrestling.

The Asian Games will be a different test, with Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan leading a strong Central Asian challenge alongside China, Japan, Thailand, South Korea, Mongolia and Chinese Taipei.

Women’s Squad

Sakshi Chaudhary (51kg): An Asian Games debutant, Sakshi enters Japan as one of India’s leading medal prospects after defeating 48kg world champion Minakshi Hooda in the 51kg trials and edging out Nikhat Zareen.

Preeti Pawar (54kg): Commonwealth gold medallist and a 2023 Asian Games bronze medallist.

Priya Ghanghas (60kg): Commonwealth gold medallist and Asian Games debutant. Glasgow provided the 60kg boxer with a major confidence boost as she steps onto the continental stage for the first time.

Parveen Hooda (65kg): A 2023 Asian Games bronze medallist at 57kg, she arrives after a narrow 3-2 quarter-final defeat at the Commonwealth Games. Her previous Asian Games medal and experience of securing an Olympic quota for Paris 2024 make her a genuine dark-horse contender at 65kg.

Lovlina Borgohain (75kg): The squad’s most decorated boxer, with an Olympic bronze, a world title and a 2023 Asian Games silver to her name. She added another silver in Glasgow, losing 4-1 to Australia’s Emma-Sue Greentree, and will be among India’s strongest medal hopes in Aichi-Nagoya.

Men’s Squad

Jadumani Singh Mandengbam (55kg): Commonwealth silver medallist, losing 5-0 to Australia’s Jye Dixon in the final. The Asian Games debutant will look to turn that Glasgow run into a first continental medal.

Sachin Siwach (60kg): Commonwealth gold medallist and one of India’s leading men’s prospects.

Sumit Kundu (70kg): Exited the Commonwealth Games in the round of 16 via split decision. An Asian Games debutant, Kundu will be looking for a deeper run in Japan after an early Glasgow exit.

Ankush Panghal (80kg): Commonwealth gold medallist and another of India’s strongest men’s medal prospects. His Glasgow title gives the Asian Games debutant plenty of momentum heading into Aichi-Nagoya.

Kapil Pokhariya (90kg): Reached the Commonwealth quarter-finals before losing to Scotland’s Robert McNulty. The Asian Games debutant now gets another opportunity to make an impact on the continental stage.

Narender Berwal (+90kg): Commonwealth silver medallist and India’s lone male boxing medallist at Hangzhou 2023, where he won bronze in the +92kg category. His combination of recent form and Asian Games experience makes him one of India’s key medal prospects.

The Hangzhou Benchmark

At the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, India’s 13-member boxing contingent returned with five medals: one silver and four bronze.

Lovlina won silver in the women’s 75kg category, while Nikhat (50kg), Preeti Pawar (54kg), Parveen Hooda (57kg) and Narender Berwal (+92kg) claimed bronze.

That five-medal haul is the mark this squad will now look to better.

Potential Medal Contenders

Strongest gold contenders: Sachin Siwach, Ankush Panghal, Sakshi Chaudhary, Priya Ghanghas and Preeti Pawar all arrive as Commonwealth champions. Preeti has the added advantage of an Asian Games bronze from 2023, giving her both recent form and continental experience.

Ones to watch:

Jadumani Singh and Narender Berwal both left Glasgow with silver and will be looking to go one better.

Berwal, in particular, brings valuable Asian Games experience after his bronze in Hangzhou. Sumit and Kapil will be aiming to bounce back from their Commonwealth exits, while Parveen remains a potential dark horse given her previous Asian Games medal and international pedigree.

The challenge now is to carry that Glasgow momentum onto the Asian stage and better the five-medal haul from Hangzhou 2023.

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