Did Minakshi, Preeti, Arundhati, and Nupur Claim Gold on a Historic Final Day at the World Boxing Cup Finals?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- Minakshi won gold in the 48kg category.
- Preeti claimed gold at 54kg.
- Arundhati Choudhary excelled in 70kg, taking home gold.
- Nupur emerged victorious in the 80+kg division.
- India's women boxers are preparing for the 2028 Olympic Games.
Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh), Nov 20 (NationPress) Minakshi (48kg), Preeti (54kg), Arundhati Choudhary (70kg), and Nupur (80+kg) clinched gold medals as India's women boxers showcased their prowess on a momentous day for the country during the World Boxing Cup Finals 2025 at the packed Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex.
Their victories came in crucial divisions that are set to feature in the 2028 Olympic Games, where boxing will achieve full gender parity, underscoring India's escalating competitive edge as they gear up for Los Angeles.
This triumphant day concluded a stellar campaign for the host nation, which also witnessed Jadumani Singh, Pawan Bartwal, Abhinash Jamwal, and Ankush Phangal securing well-deserved silver medals, further emphasizing India's rising prominence in both men's and women's Olympic weight categories. Seven more Indian boxers will contend for gold in Session 7, including reigning World Champion Jaismine Lamboira, two-time former World Champion Nikhat Zareen, and dual World Boxing Cup medalist Hitesh Gulia.
Minakshi set the day's tone with a spectacular 5:0 victory over reigning Asian Champion Farzona Fozilova, exhibiting her signature aggression from the first bell. The World Champion combined speed and precision, breaking the bout open with a powerful left-right combination in Round 1 and maintaining total control with assertive jabs, clean counters, and solid defense.
Preeti followed suit with another commanding 5:0 performance, overpowering Italy's World Championship medallist Sirine Charrabi with relentless pressure, cornering her opponent and landing sharp punches while dictating the pace through agile footwork and sustained offensive bursts.
Arundhati Choudhary, a former Youth World Champion, delivered what was arguably the day's most comprehensive performance, defeating Uzbekistan's Aziza Zokirova with a convincing 5:0 win. After an 18-month hiatus, she skillfully blended aggressive offense with disciplined defense, landing decisive jabs and maintaining strategic dominance throughout all three rounds. The gold rush continued as Nupur narrowly edged out Uzbekistan's Sotimboeva Oltinoy 3:2 in a tightly contested tactical battle.
In the men's finals, India garnered four silver medals. Jadumani Singh (50kg) fought valiantly but succumbed 1:4 to Uzbekistan's Asilbek Jalilov, while Pawan Bartwal (55kg), who had earlier produced one of the tournament's biggest surprises, fell to Samandar Olimov. Abhinash Jamwal (65kg) lost a spirited contest 1:4 to Japan's seasoned Shion Nishiyama, and Ankush Phangal (80kg) was outmatched by England's defending World Cup champion Shittu Oladimeji.