NEW DELHI: India’s campaign at the Asian Boxing Championships 2026 gathered serious momentum as six women and two men boxers booked their places in the finals, underlining the country’s growing depth across weight categories.
Leading the charge in the women’s semifinals, Minakshi and Jaismine delivered composed performances under pressure. Competing in the 48kg category, Minakshi secured a convincing 4:1 win over Thailand’s ThipsatchaYodwaree, displaying control and tactical sharpness throughout the bout. Jaismine, meanwhile, was pushed all the way in her 57kg semifinal against Uzbekistan’s Nigina Uktamova but held her nerve to edge a tight 3:2 decision and advance to the gold medal clash.
In the men’s section, Vishvanath Suresh continued his impressive run in the 50kg division, outclassing Jordan’s HuthaifaEshish with a dominant 5:0 unanimous verdict. Sachin also impressed in the 60kg category, registering a solid 4:1 victory over Thailand’s Sakda Ruamtham to join the list of Indian finalists.
While the day brought plenty of positives, a few Indian boxers fell short in their semifinal bouts. Akash went down 1:4 to Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Abdurakhimov, while Lokesh suffered a 0:5 defeat against Jasurbek Yuldoshev, also from Uzbekistan. Narender’s campaign ended in disappointment after a 1:4 loss to China’s BayikewuziDanabieke, with the bout being stopped early due to a cut. Harsh Choudhary too bowed out after a 1:4 defeat to Tajikistan’s Parviz Karimov.
With eight finalists confirmed, India now shifts focus to converting these strong performances into gold medals. In the women’s 48kg final, Minakshi will face Mongolia’s Nomundari Enkh-Amgalan, while Jaismine is set to take on Thailand’s PunraweeRuenros in the 57kg summit clash.
Elsewhere, Preeti (54kg) will square off against Chinese Taipei’s Huang Hsiao-wen, and Priya (60kg) will meet North Korea’s Un Gyong Won. Arundhati Choudhary (70kg) is also in line for a tough contest as she prepares to face Kazakhstan’s Bakyt Seidish in her final.
Agencies