Parveen Hooda storms into Asian Games 65kg boxing final with 5-0 win over China
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
Indian boxer Parveen Hooda marched into the women's 65kg final at the Asian Games in Nishio on Tuesday, 29 September, delivering a commanding 5-0 unanimous victory over China's Li Shu at the Nishio Gymnasium. The dominant display sets up a blockbuster gold-medal bout against a decorated opponent from Chinese Taipei.
Round-by-Round Dominance
Parveen began the bout with measured aggression, edging the first round 3-2 on the strength of well-timed counter punches. She shifted gears emphatically from the second round onwards, landing crisp, accurate combinations to sweep both the second and third rounds by a 5-0 margin. When the final bell rang, all five judges had voted in her favour — three scoring it 29-28 and two scoring it 30-27 — leaving no room for controversy.
Gold-Medal Date with a World-Class Rival
Parveen will now face Chinese Taipei's Chen Nien-chin in the final, a contest widely expected to be among the toughest bouts of the Aichi-Nagoya Games. Nien-chin is a formidable champion: she holds the Olympic bronze medal, a world championship bronze, and also claimed bronze at the 2023 Asian Games. For Parveen, the final is an opportunity to surpass all prior benchmarks of her career with a gold on the continental stage.
India's Boxing Surge at the Asian Games
India have now confirmed at least six boxing medals at the ongoing Aichi-Nagoya Games, a testament to the depth of the country's boxing programme. On Monday, Kapil Pokhariya, Priya Ghanghas, and Lovlina Borgohain each won their respective bouts. Priya secured a semifinal berth and a guaranteed medal in the women's 60kg category with a 5-0 win over Tajikistan's Mijgona Samadova in the quarterfinals, while Lovlina — a familiar name at the highest level — confirmed her medal with a 5-0 victory over Korea's Seong Suyeon in the women's 75kg quarterfinal.
On Sunday, three more medals were locked in: Ankush Panghal, the reigning Commonwealth Games champion, opened India's account in the men's category with a unanimous 5-0 decision over Tajikistan's Nekruz Salimov in the men's 80kg quarterfinals. Parveen herself had sealed her quarterfinal berth the same day with a 5-0 win over Uzbekistan's Navbakhor Khamidova, while Narender also progressed in the men's +90kg with a quarterfinal win over Thailand's Adthapong Saengtep.
What to Watch Next
Ankush and Narender are both in semifinal action on Tuesday, with India's boxing contingent looking to add further finalists to the tally. If either advances, the gold-medal count from the boxing ring could yet climb higher. Parveen's final against Chen Nien-chin will be the centrepiece — a clash between India's rising force and one of Asia's most battle-hardened champions.