Indian Boxers Set For Uphill Medal Challenge As World Championships

Last Updated:September 03, 2025, 16:14 IST

Indian boxers led by Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain face a tough World Boxing Championships with a new-look men's squad and high hopes after mixed results in 2023 and 2024.

Lovlina Borgohain (X)

Indian boxers face a formidable challenge as they aim to equal or surpass their previous medal tally when the World Boxing Championships commence on Thursday. For the first time, the Championships will be hosted by the new governing body, World Boxing, and will feature both men’s and women’s events together.

India had a successful run in 2023, with the women’s team winning four gold medals in New Delhi and the men’s team clinching three bronze in Tashkent. However, their performance declined, with disappointing results at the Asian Games later that year and an underwhelming campaign at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Despite Indian boxers securing good hauls from the World Boxing Cups earlier this year, the Championships, featuring over 550 boxers from more than 65 nations, including 17 Paris Olympic medallists, will be a much tougher test.

Nikhat, Lovlina back in action

Two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen and Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain will return to international competition after over a year’s hiatus. Both have had limited preparation, having competed in only one domestic event since the Paris Games.

They might face tough opponents in the initial rounds as they are likely to be unseeded after missing all three World Boxing Cups this year. Nikhat will start her campaign in the 51kg category, having previously won world titles in the 52kg (2022) and 50kg (2023) categories. Weight management has been a concern for her, as she struggled with it during the Paris Olympics, where she exited in the second round against China’s Wu Yu.

Lovlina, a three-time Worlds medallist, will aim to defend her title in the 75kg weight class but will have to overcome familiar rivals and new competitors. Along with veteran Pooja Rani, a two-time Asian champion who won silver at the July World Cup, they form the experienced core of the women’s squad.

Other members include Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), a 2022 Commonwealth Games bronze medallist, Sakshi (54kg), and Nupur Sheoran (80+kg), all expected to be seeded after their gold-medal performances at the World Boxing Cup in Kazakhstan.

New-look men’s squad

The Indian men’s boxing team, with a largely fresh-faced squad, faces a challenging task. Last edition’s medallists Nishant Dev, Deepak Bhoria, and Mohammad Hussamuddin, who won bronze medals in 2023, are absent due to various reasons.

The experienced group includes Sumit Kundu, returning after injury, 2021 World Youth champion Sachin Siwach, and Harsh Choudhary (86kg), all of whom have prior Worlds experience. They are joined by promising debutants Jadumani Singh Mandengbam (50kg), Hitesh Gulia (70kg), and Abhinash Jamwal (65kg), who aim to make their mark.

Squad

Women: Meenakshi Hooda (48kg), Nikhat Zareen (51kg), Sakshi (54kg), Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), Sanju Khatri (60kg), Neeraj Phogat (60kg), Sanamacha Chanu (70kg), Lovlina Borgohain (75kg), Pooja Rani (80kg), Nupur Sheoran (80+kg)

Men: Jadumani Singh Mandengbam (50kg), Pawan Bartwal (55kg), Sachin Siwach (60kg), Abhinash Jamwal (65kg), Hitesh Gulia (70kg), Sumit Kundu (75kg), Lakshya Chahar (80kg), Jugnoo Ahlawat (85kg), Harsh Chaudhary (90kg), Narender Berwal (90+kg)

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First Published:

September 03, 2025, 16:14 IST

News sports Indian Boxers Set For Uphill Medal Challenge As World Championships

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