Preeti Pawar Leads Indian Boxers to Finals at Asian Championships 2026
Indian Boxers Shine at Asian Boxing Championships
On Monday, Preeti Pawar, India's Bantamweight star, triumphed over Korea's Aeji Im, a bronze medallist from the Paris Olympics, securing her spot in the 54kg Elite Women's final at the 2026 Asian Boxing Championships. Alongside her, fellow Indian boxers Priya and Arundhati Choudhary also advanced to their respective finals after impressive semifinal victories in Ulaanbaatar.
In the semifinal for the women's 54 kg, Preeti, who previously clinched gold at the World Boxing Cup Finals, showcased her skills with a dominant performance, winning all three rounds against Im with a unanimous 5:0 decision. She is now set to face Huang Hsiao-wen from Chinese Taipei, a three-time World Champion and Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze medallist, in a highly anticipated gold medal match.
Priya, competing in the women's 60kg category, delivered a strong performance, defeating Mongolia's Namuun Monkhor with a 5-0 unanimous decision, thus earning her place in the final against North Korea's Un Gyong Won.
In the women's 65kg semifinals, Ankushita Boro faced a setback, losing 0-3 to Nien-Chin Chen from Chinese Taipei, the bronze medallist from the Paris Olympics. The match was briefly halted due to a power outage after the first round, and the outcome was determined based on points.
Arundhati, competing in the women's 70kg category, secured a 4-1 victory over Uzbekistan's Oysha Toirova, demonstrating excellent control and composure to reach the final, where she will meet Kazakhstan's Bakyt Seidish.
In the women's 51kg category, Nikhat Zareen was defeated 0-5 by China's Wu Yu, the reigning Olympic gold medallist and a formidable opponent in the division, during the semifinals.
Lovlina Borgohain faced a similar fate in the women's 75kg category, losing 0-5 to Uzbekistan's Aziza Zokirova, a bronze medallist from the World Championships in the 70kg category, known for her aggressive fighting style.
Pooja Rani also exited the competition after a 0-5 defeat to Kazakhstan's Nadezhda Ryabets, a seasoned competitor and bronze medallist from the 2023 World Championships.
With four Indian boxers already confirmed for the finals, the team's journey continues with two more semifinal matches in the women's 48kg and 57kg categories scheduled for April 7.