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World Champion Minakshi Hooda and Preeti Pawar powered India to a flawless opening as all four secured medals with dominant wins on Day 1 of the World Boxing Cup Finals 2025. With the tournament restricted to only the world's eight top boxers in each category, the Indian quartet swept through the opening round to enter the semis, guaranteeing podium finishes at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex.
On winning quarter finals in World Boxing Cup Finals 2025, Boxer Minakshi Hooda said, "... I am happy that my medal has been confirmed, but I will not settle for anything less than gold. This competition is being organised in India, which boosted my confidence. Spectators were all cheering up during my bout, and that motivated me a lot..." Boxer Preeti Pawar said, "...I won a bout and made a comeback. I am happy with my performance and will continue to give my best in the next game. Such competitions help a lot in preparations, especially with the Olympics coming up in 2028. We learn a great deal from these games. Next year, the Asian Games are also scheduled, and these platforms prepare us for bigger challenges ahead..." In a field reserved exclusively for world-level contenders, every bout demanded precision and composure, and the Indians rose to the occasion with clinical authority. World Championships Liverpool 2025 gold medalist Minakshi (48kg) set the tone early, dictating a high-tempo bout against Kazakhstan's Bolat Akbota from the first bell through clean and accurate punching. Preeti (54kg) followed with an equally electrifying display using quick feet and sharp combos to overwhelm Uzbekistan's former Youth World Champion Nigina Uktamova in a fully attacking performance. Later in the day, Ankush Phangal (80kg) produced one of the day's most composed performances, soaking up early pressure before shifting gears with clever combination play. Finding openings with precision, he landed telling blows to keep Japan's Go Wakaya at bay en route to a unanimous win. In the 90+kg division, Narender Berwal delivered a gritty, authoritative performance--pushing through a cut above his eye with disciplined defence and powerful body-head combinations to secure a strong 4:1 victory over Ukraine's Andrii Khaletskyi. Day 2 will see India's elite men's contingent storm into action, with three high-stakes bouts lined up in Session 2 at 2 PM. Pawan Bartwal (55kg) opens the day against Kazakhstan's Altynbek Nursultan, the World Boxing Cup Brazil 2025 gold medalist and one of the division's rising forces. He will be followed by Sumit (75kg), who takes on Korea's Kim Hyeon-tae, a well-rounded, physically imposing contender known for his counter-pressure style. In the 90kg quarterfinal, Naveen Kumar meets Kazakhstan powerhouse Tangatar Bekzat. Session 3, scheduled for later in the evening, brings two of India's most anticipated matchups. World Boxing Cup Brazil 2025 medalist Jadumani Singh (50kg) squares off against Kazakhstan's Ongarov Nurzat, a fast-rising prospect who has been making waves both internationally and at home. The day's marquee clash features Hitesh (70kg) against top seed Sewon Okazawa, the 2022 Asian Games medalist and one of the most technically polished boxers in the field, promising to be one of the defining contests of the opening rounds. On Day 1, the global field delivered a series of emphatic performances befitting a top-eight world tournament. Poland's Wiktoria Rogalinska dominated Ukraine's Inna Statkevych (5:0) to advance in the women's 54kg bracket, while Uzbekistan's Aziza Zokirova won with a commanding 5:0 scoreline against Nigeria's Patricia Mbata in the women's 70kg. In the men's draw, Ukraine's Elvin Aliiev and Uzbekistan's Adkhamjon Mukhiddinov were clinical in their respective 65kg quarterfinals, each winning 5:0, before Kazakhstan's Begaliyev Sanzhar-Ali and Australia's Marlon Sevehon earned decisive victories in the 80kg category. Uzbekistan's Khalimjon Mamasoliev also progressed authoritatively in the 90+kg division with a sweeping 5:0 result. (ANI)
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