Indian Boxers Shine at Asian Games 2026: Ankush Panghal and Parveen Hooda Reach Finals
Indian Boxers Excel in Asian Games 2026
File image of Indian Boxer Ankush Panghal(Photo: @India_AllSports/X)
Nishio, Sep 29: Indian boxers have showcased their exceptional skills at the Asian Games 2026, with Ankush Panghal achieving a remarkable victory over reigning world champion Fazliddin Erkinboev in the men's 80kg semifinal, securing his place in the final.
Alongside Ankush, Parveen Hooda also advanced to the finals in her category, while Narender Berwal earned a bronze medal after losing his semifinal match in the +90kg category to Kazakhstan's current world champion, Aibek Oralbay.
Ankush's semifinal bout was a thrilling comeback; he initially trailed 1-4 after the first round but rallied to win the second round 3-2, landing effective punches. He dominated the third round, winning it 5-0, resulting in a final score of 4-1 in his favor, with four judges scoring it 29-28 for him.
In contrast, Narender faced a tough challenge against Oralbay, losing by a unanimous decision of 0-5. Oralbay's powerful punches overwhelmed Narender, who fought valiantly but couldn't overcome the world champion's skill.
Oralbay took the first round 5-0 and maintained his lead in the second round, forcing Narender into a defensive position. The Kazakh boxer adopted a cautious strategy in the final round, ensuring his victory.
Notably, Ankush has made history as the first Indian male boxer to reach the Asiad final since Amit Panghal's gold medal win in the 49kg category at the 2018 Jakarta Games. Narender had previously secured a bronze in the men's +92kg event during the last Games.
This marks India's second confirmed silver medal in boxing at the current Games. Earlier, Parveen Hooda advanced to the final of the women's 65kg event with a decisive 5-0 victory over China's Li Shu.
Parveen displayed dominance, particularly in the latter rounds, winning the first round narrowly at 3-2. She excelled in the second round, winning 5-0, and continued her strong performance in the third round, again winning 5-0. All five judges favored her, with three scoring it 29-28 and two giving her a 30-27.
Parveen will now compete for the gold medal against Chen Nien-chin from Chinese Taipei in what is anticipated to be a challenging match.
With six boxing medals secured, India has surpassed its previous record of five medals from the Hangzhou Games.