Greater Noida, Nov 17 (NationPress) India’s remarkable performance at the World Boxing Cup Finals 2025 continued on Day 2, as Pawan Bartwal (55kg) and Hitesh Gulia (70kg) achieved stunning victories, marking two of the most significant outcomes of the tournament on Monday.

On this eventful day, Pawan shocked the World Boxing Cup champion from Brazil, Altynbek Nursultan, while Hitesh narrowly triumphed over Sewon Okazawa, a two-time Olympian and the top seed, in a thrilling split-decision match. Their successes, combined with impressive wins from Sumit (75kg), Naveen (90kg), and Jadumani Singh (50kg), enabled India to achieve a flawless medal sweep across both sessions.

For Pawan, this achievement was 15 years in the making. After beginning his boxing journey in the 2010s and gradually climbing the ranks, the Services boxer made a spectacular entry onto the global stage. Energized by the home crowd, he showcased outstanding defensive skills, strategic tempo management, and exceptional stamina, consistently pushing Nursultan—who was the second seed in the weight class—against the ropes while finding clean openings. Pawan’s composed, calculated performance is regarded as one of India’s finest victories in the initial rounds of this elite, eight-participant global event.

“Nursultan is a skilled boxer; he was the champion at the World Boxing Cup in Brazil this year. I felt nervous at the start, but competing in our country, in front of our supporters, gave me confidence. This tournament is a major milestone in my career. It’s my first international medal, and I’m incredibly proud,” Pawan expressed to the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) after his match.

The highly anticipated match between Hitesh and Okazawa did not disappoint, as Hitesh delivered one of the most thrilling outcomes of the tournament with a narrow 3:2 victory. Both boxers were cautious initially, maintaining their guards and avoiding openings, but a powerful hook from Hitesh late in the second round provided him with an early advantage. Okazawa responded vigorously in the third round, but the home favorite’s effective performance in the first two rounds proved to be crucial, allowing him to secure a medal.

Earlier, Sumit followed Pawan’s lead by achieving a convincing 5:0 victory over South Korea’s Kim Hyeon-tae in the 75kg quarterfinals. A precise punch to the face early on set the tone for a relentless display, combining aggression with tactical precision. He maintained pressure throughout, dictating exchanges and forcing Kim into a defensive stance as the decision became merely a formality. In Session 2, Naveen, a Strandja 2024 medalist, capped off the trio of wins with a composed performance against Kazakhstan’s Bekzat Tangatar.

Later in Session 3, Jadumani commenced his World Boxing Cup Finals 2025 journey with a unanimous decision victory over Kazakhstan’s Nurzat Ongarov, demonstrating his aggressive intent right from the start and pinning his opponent against the ropes throughout the match.

In other results, Taiwan’s Paris Olympics medalist Wu Shih-Yi achieved one of the standout victories of the session, overpowering Uzbekistan’s Sitora Turdibekova 5:0 in the women’s 57kg category. In the men’s 55kg and 75kg divisions, Uzbekistan’s Samandar Olimov, England’s Ellis Trowbridge, and Uzbekistan’s Javokhir Abdurakhimov progressed, with Kazakhstan, Ukraine, and Poland also achieving significant victories during the afternoon session.

Overall, 10 Indian boxers are set to compete in the semifinal phase on Day 3, led by World Champion Minakshi (48kg) against Korea’s Bak Cho-rong. Preeti (54kg) faces a tough challenge against Olympic medalist and three-time World Champion Huang Hsiao-Wen, while Arundhati Choudhary (70kg) meets German star Leonie Muller, who has won medals at all three previous stages of the World Boxing Cup 2025. Saweety Boora (75kg) will battle Australia’s Emma-Sue Greetree, with Narender, Naveen, and Ankush also pursuing finals spots. Abhinash Jamwal begins his campaign against Ukraine’s Elvin Aliiev.