World Boxing Cup Finals: India off to strong start as four boxers advance to semi-finals
World champion Minakshi (48kg), winner of the Liverpool 2025 Worlds, set the tone with a controlled bout against Kazakhstan’s Bolat Akbota, maintaining tempo and accuracy throughout
Preeti advances for a punch against Uktamova Nigina during the match
GREATER NOIDA: India made a strong start at the World Boxing Cup Finals 2025 as Minakshi, Preeti, Ankush Phangal and Narender Berwal advanced to the semi-finals with confident wins on Sunday, securing the country’s first set of medals at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex. With only the world’s top eight in each weight category competing, the Indians delivered assured, composed performances on the opening day.
World champion Minakshi (48kg), winner of the Liverpool 2025 Worlds, set the tone with a controlled bout against Kazakhstan’s Bolat Akbota, maintaining tempo and accuracy throughout. Preeti (54kg) followed with a sharp, front-foot display, using speed and combination work to outbox Uzbekistan’s former Youth World Champion Nigina Uktamova.
In the men’s 80kg division, Ankush Phangal recovered from early pressure to settle into rhythm, finding openings with cleaner attacks to record a unanimous win over Japan’s Go Wakaya. Super heavyweight Narender Berwal (90+kg) battled through a cut above his eye but stayed disciplined behind his guard, landing steady body–head combinations to defeat Ukraine’s Andrii Khaletskyi 4:1.
Day 2 will feature India’s full men’s lineup. Pawan Bartwal (55kg) opens in Session 2 at 2 PM against Kazakhstan’s Altynbek Nursultan, the Brazil 2025 World Cup champion. Sumit (75kg) then meets Korea’s Kim Hyeon-tae, known for his counter-pressure style, while Naveen Kumar faces Kazakhstan’s Tangatar Bekzat in the 90kg quarterfinal.
Session 3 will host two key Indian contests. Jadumani Singh (50kg), a Brazil 2025 medalist, takes on Kazakhstan’s Ongarov Nurzat, a steadily rising prospect. The day’s headline bout pits Hitesh (70kg) against top seed Sewon Okazawa, the 2022 Asian Games medalist, in one of the most anticipated clashes of the opening rounds.
Elsewhere on Day 1, several top seeds progressed comfortably. Poland’s Wiktoria Rogalińska defeated Ukraine’s Inna Statkevych 5:0 in the women’s 54kg division, while Uzbekistan’s Aziza Zokirova posted a 5:0 result over Nigeria’s Patricia Mbata in the 70kg class. In the men’s draw, Ukraine’s Elvin Aliiev and Uzbekistan’s Adkhamjon Mukhiddinov won their 65kg bouts with clean 5:0 verdicts. Kazakhstan’s Begaliyev Sanzhar-Ali and Australia’s Marlon Sevehon advanced in the 80kg category, and Uzbekistan’s Khalimjon Mamasoliev sealed a 5:0 win in the 90+kg division.
