Asian Games 2026: Preeti beaten 5-0 by North Korea's Pang Chol-mi in women's 54kg R16
Synopsis
Commonwealth Games champion Preeti was swept aside 5-0 by two-time world champion Pang Chol-mi in the Women's 54kg round of 16 at Asian Games 2026 in Nishio — a clean-sheet verdict that underscored the gap between India's best and North Korea's elite. In the same session, Sachin kept India's medal hopes alive with a 4-1 win over former Asian champion Abu Jajeh and now faces a World bronze medallist in the quarterfinals.
Key Takeaways
Preeti lost 5-0 unanimously to Pang Chol-mi of North Korea in the Women's 54kg round of 16 at Asian Games 2026 on 25 September .
Chol-mi swept all three rounds 5-0 , with Preeti unable to win a single judge's card.
Preeti had been a medal hope, having won the Commonwealth Games 2026 title and a Hangzhou Asian Games bronze .
Sachin advanced to the quarterfinals with a 4-1 split decision over Jordan's Mohammad Abu Jajeh .
Sachin will face Shunsuke Kitamoto of Japan in the quarterfinals, with a maiden Asiad medal at stake.
Commonwealth Games 2026 champion Preeti was eliminated from the Asian Games 2026 on Friday, 25 September, losing to two-time world champion Pang Chol-mi of North Korea in the Women's 54kg round of 16 at the Nishio Gymnasium in Nishio, Japan. Chol-mi sealed a dominant unanimous 5-0 verdict across all three rounds, leaving no doubt about her superiority over the Indian pugilist who had won bronze at the Hangzhou Asian Games.
How the Bout Unfolded
Preeti entered the contest with momentum, having received a bye in the round of 32, while Chol-mi had already tested herself with a win over Indonesia's Nabila Maharani in the previous round. From the opening bell, however, the North Korean dictated the tempo — controlling distance, picking her punches carefully, and denying Preeti any rhythm.
Chol-mi took the first round by a clean 5-0 margin and kept the stranglehold going through the second, again sweeping all five judges' cards. Preeti mounted a push in the final round but found Chol-mi too composed to be unsettled. The North Korean absorbed the pressure, timed her combinations well, and closed out the third round 5-0 as well for a whitewash verdict.
India's Sachin Advances to Quarterfinals
On the same day, India's Sachin delivered a contrasting result, advancing to the quarterfinals of the Men's event with a split 4-1 decision over Mohammad Abu Jajeh of Jordan — a former Asian champion and World Championships bronze medallist. Sachin, who claimed Commonwealth Games 2026 gold, received scorecards of 30-27, 30-27, 29-28, 29-28 in his favour against a 28-29 for his opponent.
The bout started at a cautious pace with Sachin edging the first round 3-2. He sharpened his punch selection in the second, winning it 4-1, before Abu Jajeh pressed forward desperately in the third but could not convert. Sachin closed the final round 4-1 to confirm the overall margin.
Sachin's Quarterfinal Challenge
Sachin will next face Shunsuke Kitamoto of Japan — another World Championships bronze medallist — in the quarterfinals, with a maiden Asian Games medal within reach. The match-up represents a significant step-up in quality and will test whether Sachin's Commonwealth gold form can translate at the continental level.
Context and What It Means for India
Preeti's exit marks a setback for India's boxing campaign at the Asiad. Pang Chol-mi is widely regarded as one of the strongest pound-for-pound amateur boxers in Asia, and the 5-0 scoreline reflects the experience gap between the two fighters at this stage. Notably, Preeti had been one of India's medal hopes in the women's draw after her Commonwealth Games triumph, making the defeat a significant disappointment. With Sachin still alive, India's boxing contingent will be looking to him to keep the medal tally hopes open.
Point of View
And the 5-0 scoreline in every round confirmed as much. India's boxing programme has made real strides at multi-sport Games below that level, but the North Korean's dominance exposes the ceiling that Indian women's boxing still needs to crack. Sachin's advance is encouraging, but he now meets a Japanese boxer backed by home-crowd pressure. The real measure of India's boxing depth at this Asiad will be how many of the survivors convert quarterfinal appearances into medals on the podium.
NationPress
25 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why did Preeti lose at Asian Games 2026?
Preeti lost to North Korea's Pang Chol-mi, a two-time world champion, by a unanimous 5-0 decision in the Women's 54kg round of 16 at Asian Games 2026 in Nishio. Chol-mi dominated all three rounds, sweeping every judge's scorecard and not allowing Preeti to settle into her rhythm.
Who is Pang Chol-mi?
Pang Chol-mi is a North Korean boxer and two-time world champion in the Women's 54kg category, widely considered one of Asia's best pound-for-pound amateur fighters. She defeated Preeti on 25 September 2026 at the Nishio Gymnasium with a 5-0 clean-sheet verdict.
How did Sachin advance at Asian Games 2026?
Sachin beat Jordan's Mohammad Abu Jajeh, a former Asian champion and World Championships bronze medallist, by a split 4-1 decision in the round of 16. He won the first round 3-2 and took both the second and third rounds 4-1 to progress to the quarterfinals.
Who will Sachin face in the quarterfinals?
Sachin will face Japan's Shunsuke Kitamoto, a World Championships bronze medallist, in the quarterfinals of the men's boxing event at Asian Games 2026. A win would guarantee Sachin his first-ever Asian Games medal.
What is Preeti's boxing record at major games?
Preeti won the Commonwealth Games 2026 title and previously claimed a bronze medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games. Her defeat to Pang Chol-mi in the round of 16 at Asian Games 2026 ends her campaign at this edition of the continental tournament.
