Asian Boxing Championships: Preeti, Deepak Give India a Winning Start

Ulaanbaatar — India’s campaign at the 2026 Asian Boxing Championships got off to a strong start, with Preeti Pawar and Deepak registering impressive victories in their opening bouts on Monday.

Preeti Pawar, competing in the women’s 54kg category, showcased her class with a dominant 5-0 unanimous win over Kazakhstan’s Elina Bazarova, a former Asian U22 champion. The World Boxing Cup Finals gold medallist looked sharp and in control throughout, setting the tone early in the tournament.

In the men’s 70kg division, Deepak held his nerve in a closely contested match to edge past Uzbekistan’s Khavasbek Asadullaev with a 3-2 split decision. Up against a strong boxing nation, Deepak displayed composure and tactical awareness to come through a tough fight.

With two wins from two bouts, India has made a perfect start to the competition.

The Asian Boxing Championships bring together some of the continent’s best talent, making even the early rounds highly competitive. The draw, announced earlier, had lined up several key matchups for Indian boxers.

In the women’s events, Priya is set to face Kazakhstan’s Rimma Volossenko in the 60kg category. Minakshi will take on Japan’s Yuka Sadamatsu, while Pooja Rani is drawn against Kazakhstan’s Nadezhda Ryabets. Several Indian boxers, including Nikhat Zareen, Jaismine Lamboria, Ankushita Boro, Arundhati Choudhary, Lovlina Borgohain, and Alfiya Patahan, have received byes in their respective categories.

On the men’s side, Vishvanath Suresh will open against Bekzat Ergeshov of Kyrgyzstan. Jadumani Singh faces a tough challenge against top seed Rui Yamaguchi of Japan in the 55kg category. Sachin is set to fight Mongolia’s Buyandalai Bayarkhuu, while Aditya Pratap Singh will take on Mouda Alhawsaw of Saudi Arabia. Ankush and Narender have progressed with byes, and Akash, Lokesh, and Harsh Choudhary are also gearing up for important bouts.

India will look to build on this strong opening as the tournament progresses.
 

With inputs from IANS