Asian Games: Indian boxers will have to dig deep to secure medals

India's boxers will have to navigate tough draws to secure medals at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. The boxing competition starts on Monday with Sumit Kundu taking on 2023 Asian Games bronze medallist Bunjong Sinsiri of Thailand in men's 70kg first round.

The women boxers will start their campaign on Tuesday. The women boxers are those who have raised expectations in the build up to the Games. They won five gold medals at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games. The Asian Games field is tougher with boxers from Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, China, South Korea and Chinese Taipei in the fray. Going by the draw they will have to be on their toes from the first round. They will have to cause some big upsets to secure medals.

"It's a pretty tough draw. Several Olympic medallists are on our path before the medals. But our boxers have prepared well and are ready to give their best in the ring," women's team chief coach Santiago Nieva told HT.

First up on Tuesday, Sakshi Chaudhary, a CWG gold medallist, will face the 2024 Paris Olympics bronze medallist Aira Villegas in women’s 51kg. If Sakshi manages to get past the Philippines boxer, she will run into Alua Balkibekova of Kazakhstan, the reigning world champion. China's fearsome Wu Yu, the Paris Olympics gold medallist, is the top seed.

Preeti Pawar, who has been on fire in the ring in the last few tournaments, has a bye in the first round in 54kg class. The Asian Championships gold medallist is likely to fight Paris Olympics bronze medallist Pang Choi Mi of North Korea next, an opponent she has not faced before.

Paris Olympics bronze medallist Nazym Kyzaibay of Kazakhstan is also in the 18-boxer draw. The 54kg draw is a minefield with Chinese Taipei's Huang Hsiao-wen as the top seed and Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Tsukimi Namiki of Japan and China's Zhao Xuan are also tough competitors. However, Preeti beat some established boxers en route to her bantamweight Asian title earlier this year.

Rising star Priya Ghanghas, another Asian Championships and CWG gold medallist this year, has been drawn against Asian Games gold medallist Oh Yeonji of South Korea in the first round. Controversial Paris Olympics champion Lin Yu-ting of Chinese Taipei, who has been cleared to compete in the female category earlier this year, is the top seed.

In 65kg, Parveen Hooda will take on 2025 World Championships silver medallist Navbakhor Khamidova in the quarters. If she gets past the Uzbek, a daunting mountain to climb will be the reigning world champion (65kg) Aida Abikeyeva of Kazakh in the semi-final .

Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain will clash with South Korean Seong Suyeon in the 75kg draw. Since only eight boxers are there in the 75kg division, a win can secure her a medal.

In men's competition, Jadumani Singh, who won silver in Glasgow, is likely to face Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Carlo Palaam in the second round. Among other men, Narender Berwal (90+kg), has a easier draw. He has a bye in the first round and will take on Thai Adthapong Saengtep for a place in the semifinal which will secure his second medal at the Asian Games.

India have entered five women and six men in the boxing competition.