Indian boxers seek strong start in Asian meet amid packed season

Indian boxers will aim for a good show at the Asian Championships, beginning here on Monday, as they look to make the most of their opportunities in a packed season and secure direct berths for the multi-sport events later this year.

The tournament marks the first major outing in a loaded season that includes the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow (July-August), the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan (September-October) and the World Boxing Cup Finals in Uzbekistan.

Apart from the medal rush, the championships assume added significance as finalists will earn direct qualification for the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, in line with the Boxing Federation of India’s selection policy.

The Indian team has been acclimatising in Mongolia for the past 15 days, training in multinational camps and sparring with boxers from Mongolia, China, Jordan and Thailand.

The women’s challenge will be led by Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain (75kg), two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen (51kg), reigning world champions Minakshi Hooda (48kg) and Jaismine Lamboria (57kg).

While Lovlina comes in after a gold-winning effort at the Boxam International in Spain in February, it will be the first international outing since November for Zareen, Hooda and Jaismine.

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“These Asian Championships will be a strong test. We know that Asian boxing has improved the level over the last decade, many of the world’s strongest teams are in Asia,” women’s head coach Santiago Nieva told PTI.

“Our history tells us that we can win medals. So, we are targeting several medals, but for us it is important to have people in the final, and there’s not many times we’ve had more than one gold, and obviously a gold medal makes a difference.”

While the women are expected to deliver, the men’s team has ground to make up after a disappointing World Championships campaign last year, where the male boxers failed to win a medal for the first time in 12 years.

There has also been a change in the coaching setup, with army-man C.A. Kuttappa returning for a third stint as head coach.

The men’s squad will rely on World Cup medallists Jadumani Singh, who has bulked up from 50kg to 55kg, and Sachin Siwach (60kg), along with Asian Games bronze medallist Narender Berwal.

However, Hitesh Gulia (70kg) and Abhinash Jamwal (65kg), who impressed on the circuit last year, miss out, with Deepak and reigning national champion Aditya Pratap earning selection in their place.

The tournament will feature several Olympic medallists, and rising stars from across the continent.

Among the standout names are China’s Olympic champion Wu Yu, alongside Chinese Taipei’s historic gold medallist Lin Yu-ting and Kazakhstan’s Olympic silver medallist Nurbek Oralbay.

Kazakhstan will field a powerful team featuring Makhmud Sabyrkhan, Aibek Oralbay, and Valentina Khalzova, while Uzbekistan’s next generation of Olympians, including Sabina Bobokulova, Nigina Uktamova, and Sitora Turdibekova, add further depth to the competition.

Jordan’s experienced trio of Olympians Hussein Iashaish, Obada Al-Kasbeh, and Zeyad Eashash will also take to the ring, alongside Japan’s Olympic bronze medallist Tsukimi Namiki and Olympian Sewon Okazawa.

Team

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Women: Minakshi (48kg), Nikhat Zareen (51kg), Preeti Pawar (54kg), Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), Priya (60kg), Ankushita Boro (65kg), Arundhati Choudhary (70kg), Lovlina Borgohain (75kg), Pooja Rani (80kg), Alfiya Tarannum Akram Khan Pathan (80+kg).

Men: Vishwanath Suresh (50kg), Jadumani Singh Mandengbam (55kg), Sachin (60kg), Aditya Pratap Yadav (65kg), Deepak (70kg), Akash (75kg), Ankush (80kg), Lokesh (85kg), Harsh Choudhary (90kg), Narender Berwal (90+kg).

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