Parveen Hooda wins Asian Games boxing gold in women's 65kg, India's second
Synopsis
On the same afternoon that Lovlina Borgohain celebrated her 29th birthday with an Asian Games gold, Parveen Hooda sealed a dramatic 3-2 final-round comeback to give India a historic double in women's boxing at Aichi-Nagoya 2026 — the first time India has won two women's boxing golds at a single Asian Games.
Key Takeaways
Parveen Hooda won gold in the women's 65kg boxing final at the Asian Games 2026 in Nishio on 2 October .
She beat Nien-chin Che of Chinese Taipei with a 3-2 win in the decisive third round after the match was level at one round apiece.
Lovlina Borgohain won the women's 75kg gold earlier the same day, beating China's Ziyi Bao 5-0 on her 29th birthday .
India claimed a historic double in women's boxing on a single day — first time at any Asian Games.
Hooda is only the third Indian woman to win an Asian Games boxing gold, after MC Mary Kom (2014) and Lovlina.
Hooda's earlier medals include gold at the 2025 World Cup , gold at the 2022 Asian Championships , and bronze at the 2022 World Championships .
Parveen Hooda clinched the gold medal in the women's 65kg boxing category at the Asian Games 2026 in Nishio on Friday, 2 October, giving India a historic double in women's boxing on a single day. The 26-year-old from Rohtak overcame Nien-chin Che of Chinese Taipei in a tightly fought final to become only the third Indian woman to win an Asian Games boxing gold medal.
How the Final Unfolded
Hooda burst out of the blocks, taking the opening round 5-0 against Che. Her opponent hit back decisively in the second round, levelling the scorecards at 5-0 in her favour. The contest came down to the final round, where Hooda held her composure under pressure and edged it 3-2, clinching the gold on a split decision.
A Double to Remember: Lovlina Borgohain Also Strikes Gold
Lovlina Borgohain, the Olympic bronze medallist, had earlier on the same day secured India's gold in the women's 75kg category, beating China's Ziyi Bao by a dominant 5-0 margin. Notably, 2 October was also Lovlina's 29th birthday, making the gold a perfect personal milestone. Her victory was India's first women's boxing Asian Games gold in 12 years — since MC Mary Kom won the 51kg title at the 2014 Asian Games in Incheon. Lovlina also improved on the silver medal she had earned at the previous edition of the Games.
Historic Significance for Indian Women's Boxing
With Hooda's win, India achieved a historic double in women's boxing at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026 — two gold medals in a single day. Hooda is now only the third Indian woman to reach this feat, joining Mary Kom (2014) and Lovlina, who claimed her second Asian Games gold earlier on Friday. Lovlina is also only the second Indian woman after Mary Kom to have won both an Asian Games boxing gold and an Olympic medal.
Parveen Hooda's Journey to the Top
The road to Nishio has been a steady climb for Hooda. She had previously won gold at the 2025 World Cup and the 2022 Asian Championships, and earned a bronze at the 2022 World Championships. Friday's Asian Games gold marks the biggest title of her career and ends what has been described as a long wait for an Asian Games podium finish.
What This Means for Indian Boxing
India's haul of two women's boxing gold medals in a single session underlines the depth of talent in the country's women's programme. This comes amid growing institutional investment in boxing infrastructure, and the result will likely reinforce calls for greater funding ahead of the next Olympic cycle. With both Hooda and Lovlina now in prime form, Indian women's boxing heads into the qualification phase for the next Olympics with considerable momentum.
Point of View
Or will it remain a headline moment without structural follow-through? India's women's boxing history is littered with singular peaks that were not converted into consistent podium presence.
NationPress
2 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Parveen Hooda and what did she win at Asian Games 2026?
Parveen Hooda is a 26-year-old boxer from Rohtak who won the gold medal in the women's 65kg category at the Asian Games 2026 in Nishio on 2 October. She defeated Nien-chin Che of Chinese Taipei in the final, winning the decisive third round 3-2 after the first two rounds were split.
How did India achieve a historic double in women's boxing at Asian Games 2026?
On 2 October, Lovlina Borgohain won gold in the women's 75kg event and Parveen Hooda won gold in the women's 65kg event on the same day at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games 2026. It marks the first time India has won two women's boxing gold medals at a single Asian Games.
What is Lovlina Borgohain's significance in Indian boxing history?
Lovlina Borgohain is an Olympic bronze medallist who won her second Asian Games gold on 2 October — her 29th birthday. She is only the second Indian woman after MC Mary Kom to have won both an Asian Games boxing gold and an Olympic medal.
Who are the Indian women to have won Asian Games boxing gold medals?
Three Indian women have won Asian Games boxing gold medals: MC Mary Kom, who won the 51kg title at the 2014 Incheon Asian Games; Lovlina Borgohain, who won the women's 75kg gold at Asian Games 2026; and Parveen Hooda, who won the women's 65kg gold at Asian Games 2026.
What previous titles has Parveen Hooda won before the Asian Games 2026 gold?
Before her Asian Games gold, Parveen Hooda had won gold at the 2025 World Cup and the 2022 Asian Championships, and secured a bronze medal at the 2022 World Championships. The Asian Games gold in Nishio is the biggest title of her career.
