Preeti Pawar Leads Indian Boxers to Finals at Asian Boxing Championships 2026
Indian Boxers Shine at Asian Championships
On Monday, Preeti Pawar, a standout in the Bantamweight division, 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 Asian Boxing Championships 2026. Alongside her, teammates Priya and Arundhati Choudhary also advanced to their respective finals after impressive semifinal victories in Ulaanbaatar, as reported by the Boxing Federation of India (BFI).
Path to the Finals
In the semifinal for the women's 54 kg category, Preeti, who previously clinched gold at the World Boxing Cup Finals, showcased a strategic and effective performance. She is set to compete against Huang Hsiao-wen from Chinese Taipei, a three-time World Champion and bronze medallist from the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, in what promises to be an exciting gold medal match.
Priya, competing in the women's 60kg category, delivered a dominant performance, winning against Namuun Monkhor from Mongolia with a unanimous 5-0 decision, thus earning her place in the final against North Korea's Un Gyong Won.
Arundhati, in the women's 70kg division, secured her final spot with a 4-1 victory over Uzbekistan's Oysha Toirova, demonstrating excellent control and composure. She will face Kazakhstan's Bakyt Seidish in the title bout.
Indian Boxers Secure Bronze Medals
In the women's 65kg category, Ankushita Boro faced a setback, losing 0-3 to Nien-Chin Chen from Chinese Taipei, a 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.
Nikhat Zareen, competing in the women's 51kg category, was defeated 0-5 by China's Wu Yu, the reigning Olympic gold medallist and a formidable opponent in her weight class.
Lovlina Borgohain, in the women's 75kg category, suffered a 0-5 loss to Uzbekistan's Aziza Zokirova, a bronze medallist at 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.
Upcoming Bouts
With four Indian boxers already in the finals, the competition continues with two more semifinal matches in the women's 48kg and 57kg categories scheduled for April 7.