Asian Games 2026: Indian boxers win six medals, including three golds

Following a spectacular performance at the Commonwealth Games, where India secured 10 medals, including seven gold, in Glasgow, the country’s boxers rose to a tougher challenge at the Asiad, which featured pugilists from Japan, China and the Central Asian countries. | Photo Credit: BFI/X

Indian boxers’ unprecedented performance, including three gold and as many bronze medals, to finish at the top of the heap at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games bodes well for the country ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

Even as the 2026 Games dropped two weight classes, Indian boxers raised the bar to claim two more medals than what they had achieved in Hangzhou. They exceeded expectations by collecting the most gold medals, improving upon the two won in 2010, to mark a qualitative improvement.

The show looks even more commendable when one considers the fact that the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) settled down after a long period of internal squabbles and selection-related issues to identify weight categories that could fetch Olympic medals and adopted a comprehensive approach, including adequate support and exposure for the boxers. The multi-nation camp involving boxers from the Dominican Republic and Iran at Patiala also proved beneficial.

Lovlina Borgohain snatched her maiden Asiad gold, improving upon her silver in Hangzhou. In the 75kg final, she moved fluidly and used both hands effectively to rein in a doughty and younger Chinese opponent, Bao Ziyi.  | Photo Credit: R. V. MOORTHY

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Following a spectacular performance at the Commonwealth Games, where India secured 10 medals, including seven gold, in Glasgow, the country’s boxers rose to a tougher challenge at the Asiad, which featured pugilists from Japan, China and the Central Asian countries.

Individually, the seasoned Lovlina Borgohain, who lost her focus after the Paris Olympics and was persuaded by the coaching staff to resume training, bounced back in style. First, she claimed a silver in Glasgow and then snatched her maiden Asiad gold, improving upon her silver in Hangzhou. In the 75kg final, she moved fluidly and used both hands effectively to rein in a doughty and younger Chinese opponent, Bao Ziyi. Sharing her birthday with Mahatma Gandhi, Lovlina could not have got herself a better present as she made the country proud while turning 29.

“We motivated her to make the best use of her experience. And she showed her worth,” said coach Mohammed Aitesamuddin.

Parveen Hooda’s road to redemption was extraordinary. The talented boxer, who lost her 57kg Asiad bronze and the Paris Olympic quota and served a two-year suspension due to a whereabouts failure, jumped two notches up to find a suitable weight category in March. Determined to change the colour of her ‘lost’ medal, the 26-year-old displayed her newfound composure to upset Chinese Taipei’s World and Olympic medallist Chen Nien-chin for the 65kg gold.

“Parveen has improved technically and is managing the distance better. The first round of her final was a masterclass,” said women’s head coach Santiago Nieva.

Lovlina and Parveen joined the legendary M.C. Mary Kom in the exclusive club of Indian women gold medallists in boxing at the Asiad.

Ankush Panghal followed up his creditable Commonwealth Games gold with an Asian Games title. In an exhausting final, he overcame a tough Korean opponent, Kim Minseong. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

The big-hearted Ankush Panghal (80kg), who got a silver on his international debut after replacing an injured Lakshya Chahar at the last minute in the World Boxing Cup Finals last year, made rapid strides. He followed up his creditable Commonwealth Games gold with an Asian Games title. In an exhausting final, he overcame a tough Korean opponent, Kim Minseong.

“Ankush has the hunger and trains well. He needs more experience and must understand that his graph should go up from here,” said men’s head coach C.A. Kuttappa.

Despite injuries, Narender Berwal (+90kg) bagged his second consecutive bronze. Kapil Pokhariya (90kg), whose career was affected by injuries and two knockouts, also did well to land a bronze and make his mark.

The promising Priya Ghanghas (60kg), a Commonwealth Games champion, performed with grit before going down to China’s two-time Worlds medallist Yang Chengyu to settle for bronze.

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Three strong medal prospects, Sachin Siwach (60kg), Sakshi Chaudhary (51kg) and Preeti Pawar (54kg), who won Commonwealth Games titles, got tough draws and fell to formidable opponents before reaching the medal rounds. Nevertheless, they will be important cogs in the wheel when the BFI builds a squad for the Olympics.

After the celebrations die down, the boxers’ focus will switch to next April’s World Boxing Championships, an Olympic qualifying event, in Astana. While the Asiad medallists have earned direct selection for the Worlds, title winners in the National Championships, scheduled for December, in the remaining eight Olympic weights will fill the vacant slots.

Starting with the qualification period, the Indian boxing fraternity will be keen to erase the forgettable memories of Paris 2024 and write a new chapter in Los Angeles.