In a remarkable conclusion to their Glasgow Commonwealth Games journey, Indian boxers secured an impressive tally of seven gold and three silver medals on the second-to-last day of the event. This stellar performance propelled India into the top five of the medals table, a significant achievement given that many of the country’s traditional strongholds in sports—such as wrestling, shooting, and badminton—were absent from this scaled-down edition. Overall, India finished the Games with a total of 39 medals, comprising 13 gold, 17 silver, and 9 bronze.
Event Context
India’s boxing team delivered an extraordinary performance at the Commonwealth Games (CWG), securing seven of the nation’s 13 gold medals, marking a significant achievement. This gold medal tally not only surpassed India’s previous best in CWG history but also outshone England, who had achieved six gold medals in two separate instances (London 1934 and Gold Coast 2018), while Canada matched this in Edinburgh 1986.
Although the overall medal count in boxing increased slightly from nine medals in 2018 to ten in 2026, gold medals rose dramatically from three to seven.
In 2025, during the World Boxing Championships held in Liverpool, no male boxer from India managed to secure a medal. However, the women’s team shone brightly with Minakshi Hooda (gold in 48kg), Jaismine Lamboria (gold in 57kg), Nupur Sheoran (silver in +80kg), and Pooja Rani (bronze in 80kg), leading India to a commendable third place in the overall rankings behind Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. Additionally, Indian boxers claimed an impressive 20 medals, including nine golds, at the World Boxing Cup Final in Greater Noida, despite facing a significantly weakened field and some controversies surrounding officiating.
The absence of central Asian nations, along with Japan and China, provided an opportunity for India during the Glasgow games, and the boxers capitalized on it. Participants like Sakshi Chaudhary (51kg), Preeti Pawar (54kg), Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), Priya Ghanghas (60kg), Arundhati Choudhary (70kg), Sachin Siwach (60kg), and Ankush Panghal (80kg) ensured a continuous display of the national anthem at the SEC Centre. Olympic medalist Lovlina Borgohain (75kg), Jadumani Singh (55kg), and Narender Berwal (+90kg) also showcased commendable efforts but ended up with silver medals after their final bouts.
Santiago Nieva, head coach of the women’s team, highlighted the importance of maintaining realistic expectations. He remarked, “We cannot promise gold every time, but we are making progress. The team understands the competitive nature of upcoming events such as the Asian Games and World Championships, which will offer Olympic qualifying spots. Tough challenges lie ahead, and our boxers must remain vigilant and not become complacent with past successes.”
Reflecting on the competition, Nieva added, “In the recent encounters, we defeated England in six out of eight matches, significantly leading the medal count. Earlier this year, at the Asian Championships, our team won five gold medals.”
The bouts were not without challenges; Ankush Panghal (80kg) made a notable comeback after a slow start, while Priya (60kg) had to clinch the final rounds in all her matches. “To win, you cannot just throw punches; you need to outsmart the opponent. We faced several warnings early on, which prompted us to adjust our strategy by maintaining distance and delivering clear, effective shots,” the coach said.
The men’s team also saw positive outcomes through victories from Sachin and Ankush. Jadumani, competing at 55kg, delivered some of the most thrilling performances for India, while Narender Brewal secured a rare silver medal in the super heavyweight category (+90kg).
Men’s coach CA Kuttappa noted his admiration for Ankush, who was competing in his first major tournament. “He is a work in progress, especially in his long-range skills, to avoid penalties for head clashes. Overall, both he and Sachin represented themselves exceptionally well,” he said.
Player Focus
BFI president Ajay Singh candidly evaluated the situation, stating, “You cannot expect to replicate this performance at the Asian Games. There’s absolutely no doubt about it,” during a virtual media briefing with the boxing team.
Team Analysis
The performance of India’s boxing team may not come as a shock to those who closely follow the sport. Women’s boxing in India is experiencing remarkable growth, while the men’s team is currently undergoing a period of transition. For the upcoming 2024 Paris Olympics, only two male boxers—Amit Panghal and Nishant Dev—qualified, whereas the women’s team saw four athletes secure their spots: Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Preeti Pawar (54kg), Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), and Lovlina Borgohain (75kg). Unfortunately, the overall campaign concluded without any medals for the nation.
Match Outlook
While it’s important to celebrate, we must also maintain perspective on this remarkable achievement. Both Indian boxers and the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) should evaluate this success with a realistic outlook. The women’s division presented limited challenges for the Indian athletes, whereas the men’s competition featured a more intense rivalry.
The real challenges lie ahead at the Asian Games in Japan, scheduled from September 19 to October 4, where formidable teams such as China, Uzbekistan, Japan, and North Korea will compete. At the last Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2022, the Indian boxing contingent of 13 athletes secured one silver and three bronze medals.
“For us, the Asian Games hold significance similar to the Olympics. The top three teams globally — Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and India — will be present, along with China. While we may not replicate this level of success, we still expect to perform well,” remarked Singh.
In a few weeks, we will see how these athletes fare against Asia’s elite in Japan.
