In Greater Noida, Indian women boxers, spearheaded by prominent athlete Nikhat Zareen, excelled by securing seven gold medals at the World Boxing Cup Finals on Thursday. The host nation achieved at least one medal in all 20 weight categories, culminating in a total of nine gold, six silver, and five bronze medals. On a day that saw 15 Indian boxers compete, reigning world champions Jaismine Lamboria (57kg) and Minakshi Hooda (48kg), along with Asian Games bronze medallist Preeti Pawar (54kg), world bronze medallist Parveen Hooda (60kg), former youth world champion Arundhati Choudhary (70kg), and Nupur Sheoran (+80kg) all secured gold medals.
Silver medals were earned by Jadumani Singh (50kg), Abhinash Jamwal (65kg), Pawan Bartwal (55kg), Ankush Phangal (80kg), Narender Berwal (+90kg), and Pooja Rani (80kg). Bronze medals went to Neeraj Phogat (65kg), Saweety (75kg), Sumit Kundu (75kg), Jugnoo (85kg), and Naveen (90kg). Although the competition was less intense due to the absence of several top-ranked boxers and countries like Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan fielding weaker teams, the WBC Finals served as a crucial opportunity for Indian boxers returning from breaks, such as Parveen, Preeti, and Arundhati, to regain their form and confidence.
Two-time world champion Nikhat (50kg) achieved a unanimous victory over Guo Yi Xuan from Chinese Taipei, marking her first gold since the 2023 World Championships and a successful comeback from injury. Parveen secured a narrow 3–2 win against Japan’s Ayaka Taguchi, while Arundhati showcased dominance with a 5–0 victory over Uzbekistan’s Aziza Zokirova. Minakshi Hooda also earned a strong 5–0 win over reigning Asian champion Farzona Fozilova. Jaismine delivered one of the most significant victories for India, defeating Paris Olympics medallist Wu Shih Yi 4–1 in a thrilling final, showcasing her skill and composure throughout the match.
