Lovlina Borgohain wins the silver medal© BFI

Amit Panghal’s comeback to the Indian team culminated in an Olympic quota as the world championships silver medallist boxer qualified for the Paris Games with a quarterfinal win in the 2nd World Qualification Tournament in Bangkok on Sunday. Panghal, India’s lone male world championship silver medallist, notched a hard-fought 5-0 win over China’s Chuang Liu for a ticket to his second Olympic Games. He thus joins the quartet of Nishant Dev (71kg), Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Preeti Pawar (54kg) and Lovlina Borgohain (75kg). All of them have booked Olympic berths.

Panghal had only one shot at making the Paris Olympics and the 2018 Asian Games champion made the most of his opportunity.

The going has been tough for Panghal as he lost his place in the national team on the basis of BFI’s evaluation system to world championship bronze medallist Deepak Bhoria, who competed at the earlier two qualifying events.

Since the Tokyo Olympics, the only big-ticket event that the Haryana boxer has competed in was the Commonwealth Games in 2022, where he won the gold medal.

He also emerged victorious at the prestigious Strandja Memorial tournament earlier this year.

The quarterfinal bout began on a rather sedate note with both boxers trying to assess each other. One minute into the bout, Liu went after Panghal. At an height disadvantage, the Indian struggled to find his range, and he did mange to land a couple of scoring shorts but didn’t engage much.

Trailing 1-4, Panghal, a three-time Asian Championship medallist, changed his strategy. He went on the offensive, beginning the second round on a positive note.

The Chinese boxer retaliated by launching some counterattacking blows but Panghal continued with his punches and ended the round on a high, forcing all five judges to rule in his favour.

In the last three minutes, Liu changed his game and moved closer to Panghal. It was an energy sapping affair as both fighters traded punches, going hammer and tongs at each other. In the end, the former world number one prevailed.

Later in the day, Jaismine Lamboria (57kg) and Sachin Siwach (57kg) will also look to secure Olympic quotas. 

Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Jaismine Lamboria moved within touching distance of a Paris Olympic quota after she registered a dominant victory over Ana Marija Milisic of Switzerland to enter the 57kg quarterfinals of the World Olympic Boxing Qualifier in Bangkok, Thailand. The 22-year-old, who dropped down from 60kg, out-punched Milisic through an unanimous decision (5-0) in the round of 16. With the qualifying tournament offering four quota places in the women’s 57kg weight class, Jaismine will have to win her quarterfinal on Sunday to seal her passage to Paris Games and reclaim the 57kg quota for India.

Parveen Hooda had secured the 57kg quota at the 2023 Asian Games but was suspended for whereabout failure last month, forcing India to surrender the quota.

Jaismine, who had competed in the Asian Games and the first World qualifiers in 60kg, was allowed to compete in the 57kg event as she was listed as reserve for the tournament.

The bout began on a tentative note with both boxers trying to assess each other. Jaismine then showcased her technical superiority as she jabbed Milisic repeatedly.

The Swiss tried to retaliate but Jaismine used her long reach to maintain distance.

Jaismine used a combination of punches on a helpless Milisic as the Swiss was given a standing count. The bout resumed but it was clear which way the decision was going to go.

Sachin goes down in semis, to play Box-Off

In the men’s 57kg, former youth world champion Sachin Siwach gave a good account of himself before going down 0-5 to Tokyo Olympics silver medallist Carlo Paalam of Philippines in the 57kg semifinal.

Sachin will, however, get another chance at securing an Olympic berth as the 57kg has three quotas on offer.

The two losing semifinalists will box-off with each other for the quota on Sunday.

Nishant Dev (71kg, Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Preeti Pawar (54kg) and Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) have already secured their passage to Paris.

Sachin tried hard but was no match for the Filipino boxer who was more aggressive and did not let the Indian settle down.

With Paalam on the offensive from the first second, Sachin was forced to defend.

The Filipino landed several power punches and Sachin lowering his guard did not help his cause as he was pummeled by Paalam.

The Indian was, however, able to land some scoring shots toward the end of the opening round to convince two judges.

Sachin went after Paalam a couple of times as the Filipino boxer slowed down. But after conserving energy he was back to striking the Indian. PTI APA UNG

Amit Panghal landed a series of punches in the third and final round to clinch the win.© AFP

File photo of Indian boxer Nishant Dev.© BFI

File image of Nishant Dev.© X (Twitter)

Nitu Ghanghas may be temporarily away from public spotlight but the Haryana boxer is spending quality time at the Bhiwani Boxing Club preparing for the Los Angeles Olympics in July 2028. A world champion in the 48 kg class, the 23-year-old Nitu could not make it to the Paris Olympics in the 54 kg division, a weight category where she is developing more power and adding skills to keep her reputation as a feisty fighter intact. The ardent Mary Kom fan is considered as a potential successor to the Manipuri legend and missing Asian Games in Hangzhou and Paris 2024 has not left the 2023 world and Commonwealth Games champion heartbroken, instead more determined. 

In a new episode of the Fit India Champions podcast, Nitu told series host Ekta Vishnoi, “From childhood I have always wanted to win, battled many odds and disappointments and came out on top with my family’s help. I am already looking forward now,” said Nitu.

The Fit India Champions podcast series, that has featured India’s top sportspersons like Olympians Neeraj Chopra and Sheetal Devi, is aimed at spreading the message on wellness through conversations with athletes and health influencers. The series is in partnership with GOQii, a major stakeholder in the fitness sector that proactively manages health through its digital and multimedia technology. 

To qualify for the Asian Games and Paris Olympics, Nitu, proficient in the 48 kg class, had to upgrade herself to the 54 kg class but it was Preeti Pawar who pipped her to the Hangzhou 2023 squad. Preeti even grabbed a Paris Olympics quota with a fearless display at the continental Games. She thus joined Nikhat Zareen (50 kgs) and Lovlina Borgohain (75 kg) who had already made the Paris cut.

“I think all three of them can return with a medal from Paris. They are all capable fighters and have gained a lot of experience. As far as I am concerned, I will take it step by step as I get better and stronger in 54 kg division. My immediate target is the world championships in Astana, Kazakhstan in October this year and my coach Jagdish Singh is prepping me for it. I am confident that I have the mettle to make it to Los Angeles Olympics in 2028,” said Nitu.

“I am from Bhiwani Boxing Club and I have a legacy to take forward. Vijender Singh’s Beijing Olympics was a massive trigger for girls like us to play boxing. In our village (Dhanana), it was unthinkable for a girl to play sport. But it was my father (Jai Bhagawan) who backed me up regardless of the fact that even our closest relatives thought we were crazy because I was going to take up boxing,” Nitu Ghanghas narrated during the podcast, adding that her family faced severe financial crisis when she was learning the ropes of boxing in Bhiwani.

Having excelled in the 48 kg class, a weight division that once exclusively belonged to London Olympics (51 kg) bronze medallist Mary Kom, Nitu wants to emulate her idol. 

“I grew up seeing her and it was my dream to fight Mary didi. That opportunity did come (Commonwealth Games 2022 trials) but Mary Kom had to withdraw due to a knee injury after a minute into the opening round. I really wanted a full fight, so it was a bit disappointing,” said Nitu, who is a natural left-handed boxer like Mary. Nitu went on to win the Commonwealth Games gold in Birmingham.

With age on her side and known for her aggressive style, Nitu remains among India’s top women boxers. With greater exposure and intense training, the Haryana girl is expected to grab the headlines once again once Paris Olympics are over. 

Indian pugilists will be determined to overcome the recent setbacks both inside and outside the boxing ring when they aim for the last available tickets to the Olympic Games at the second World Qualification Tournament, starting on Friday. Up until the last qualifying event, Indian boxers had four quotas but in an unprecedented embarrassment, that number is now down to three after women’s 57kg holder Parveen Hooda was handed a 22-month ban for whereabouts failure this month. The boxers’ performance at the previous world qualifiers in March was dismal to say the least with only 2023 World Championship bronze medallist Nishant Dev moving past the opening round.

This also triggered a coaching crisis. High Performance Director Bernard Dunne handed his resignation during the first World qualifier itself.

“From the Thailand qualifiers, we definitely hope to clinch 4-5 quota places and we are hoping for the best. This time we have a definite chance,” Indian boxing coach CA Kuttappa told SAI Media ahead of event here.

The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has made several changes with India’s lone male World Championship silver-medallist Amit Panghal finally back in the mix after Deepak Bhoria failed to win a quota in the first two qualifying events in the 51kg category.

Panghal is coming off a gold-winning run at the prestigious Strandja Memorial tournament earlier this year. He will have only one shot at making the Olympics and the former Asian Games champion will look to make the most of it.

Panghal has been seeded second in his category and is likely to have a quarterfinal face-off either with Liu Chuang of China or Anvarzhan Khodzhiev of Kyrgyzstan after receiving a first-round bye.

India have fielded a total of 10 boxers, seven men and three women, featuring among a total of 579 boxers from 133 countries participating in the Qualifying event which will see a total of 51 Olympic quotas up for grabs.

Abhinash Jamwal has been handed an opportunity to make the cut for his debut Olympics after the seasoned Shiva Thapa’s repeated failures in the 63.5kg weight class, which has five quotas on offer. Jamwal will open against Andriejus Lavrenovas of Lithuania.

Young boxer Abhimanyu Loura, who has replaced Lakshya Chahar, will try his luck in 80kg. He will have to make it to the top three to earn his maiden Olympic appearance. Loura will square off against Kristiyan Nikolov of Bulgaria in the opening round.

Nishant Dev missed sealing his berth in Italy by a whisker. He would be brimming with confidence. With five quotas on offer in 71kg, he is expected to return with a ticket to Paris.

Nishant will kick off his campaign against Amando Bighafa Naae of Guinea-Bissau. After clearing the opening round, the World Championship bronze medallist could be in for a tricky second round against the young talented Turkmenistan boxer, Bayramdurdy Nurmuhammedov.

Also in the fray is reigning National champion and Strandja Memorial gold medallist Sachin Siwach, who will take on New Zealand’s Alex Mukuka in the men’s 57kg weight category.

Sanjeet (92 kg) and Narender ( 92kg) have been handed byes in the opening round.

In women’s competition, Ankushita Boro, who competed in the 66kg event, has moved down to 60kg, pipping Jaismine Lamboriya in the assessment.

Ankushita, who will face Mongolia’s Namuun Monkhor in the opening bout, will have to finish in the top three to make the cut. She is likely to eventually face Uzbekistan’s Rashida Tagirova, who has also secured a first-round bye.

However, Jaismine who failed to book a berth during the earlier two qualifying events, has got a third shot albeit in the 57kg after Parveen was sanctioned. She has received a bye in the opening round and will face Mahasati Hamzayeva of Azerbaijan in the second round.

National champion Arundhati Choudhary (66kg), who has also got a bye, will be the third Indian female boxer in the fray.

She will face Stephanie Pineiro Aquino of Puerto Rico in the second round and may have to square off against Slovakia’s Jessica Tribelova in the quarters for a qualification spot.

With 188 boxers having already earned Olympic berths via the continental qualifiers and the world qualifiers, Indian boxers are expected to add to the tally of three quotas.

“Our boxers are in a good mental position now. The confidence from the sparring sessions has risen and psychologists are playing a key role to keep them away from pressure,” Kuttappa said.

The tournament has 51 quota places on offer, including 23 for women and 28 for men, and a boxer will be assured of a Paris ticket after reaching the semifinals.

India had an unprecedented nine boxers competing at the Tokyo Olympics, which yielded one medal — a bronze by Lovlina Borgohain.

Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Preeti Pawar (54kg) and Borgohain (75kg) secured their entry to Paris at the Asian Games last year.

India’s leading boxer and WBC Asia titleholder, Neeraj Goyat, is set to make his debut with Most Valuable Promotions (MVP) against Brazilian sensation Whindersson Nunes. This exciting matchup is part of the undercard for the Paul versus Tyson and Taylor versus Serrano 2 event, scheduled for Saturday, July 20. The bout between Neeraj Goyat and Whindersson Nunes is a professional six-round super middleweight fight at 165 lbs.

This matchup is part of an action-packed undercard, which also features Sylve versus Schofield and Chavez Jr. versus Till. The main event showcases an 8-round heavyweight clash between Jake Paul and Mike Tyson, alongside the eagerly awaited women’s boxing rematch between Katie Taylor and Amanda Serrano for the undisputed super lightweight world title, contested over 10 rounds. The event is set to take place at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, the home of the Dallas Cowboys.

Neeraj Goyat, with a record of 18-4-2 (8 KOs), is one of the most prominent figures in boxing. Born in Begampur, Karnal, Haryana, India, Goyat began his boxing career in 2006 and quickly rose to prominence. He won gold at the Youth National Tournament in 2008 and is a three-time WBC Asia titleholder (2015, 2016, and 2017). He was named “Honorary Boxer of the Year” in 2017 by WBC Asia and became the first Indian boxer to make the WBC World Rankings.

Goyat faced a setback in 2019 due to a car accident, which postponed a major fight against Amir Khan. However, he made a strong comeback and gained worldwide attention in spring 2024 through a viral social media campaign challenging MVP co-founder Jake Paul. This campaign led to a faceoff in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Goyat ultimately signed with MVP. His social media campaign garnered over 150 million views, making him a viral sensation.

“I couldn’t be more excited to make my MVP debut on what promises to be the biggest boxing event in history,” said Neeraj Goyat. “With millions of fans back home in India watching my every move, I’m not just fighting for myself; I’m fighting to make history and make my country proud. Thank you to Nakisa and the entire MVP team and of course Netflix for this opportunity to shine on the biggest stage imaginable. I hope all Indians around the world tune in for this historic event.”

Whindersson Nunes, a Brazilian icon and social media superstar, has a boxing record of 2-2-1 (1 KO). Known for his charismatic presence, Nunes faced legendary world champion Acelino “Popo” Freitas in 2022, resulting in a draw. With over 100 million followers across social platforms, including 59.5 million on Instagram and 44.6 million on YouTube, Nunes is a significant figure in both the digital and boxing worlds. He is training under coaches Diego Rodrigues and Caio Franco, alongside Olympic medalist Esquiva Falcao, for his upcoming fight.

“I grew up watching big names in boxing, so having the opportunity to be part of this card and challenge myself in this sport is an honour. As I’ve said on other occasions, boxing is more than just a fight: it’s an art that requires a lot of technique, timing, and strategy. I have been preparing myself daily with my coaches to present my best version of a fighter in Texas and, once again, defend and make my country proud.” said Whindersson Nunes.

Nakisa Bidarian and Jake Paul, co-founders of Most Valuable Promotions, are excited about the global appeal of this event. “By featuring two more international stars in Neeraj Goyat and Whindersson Nunes, alongside the rest of our historic card, we’re strategically supplementing Paul vs. Tyson and Taylor versus Serrano 2 to drive patriotic engagement with the event from two of the biggest countries in the world,” they said.

“Neeraj Goyat is arguably the greatest Indian boxer of all time and he will now have the opportunity to represent India as a part of one of the biggest boxing events of all time. Whindersson Nunes is returning to the ring against a much more experienced boxer and it shows what a Brazilian badass he is, ready to take on the challenge – you have to respect that.”

These matchups are not only about thrilling fights but also about uniting fans worldwide for an unforgettable experience and promoting the sport of boxing globally.

File photo of Parveen© Twitter