Is the World Boxing Cup Finals a Historic Milestone for India?
Synopsis
Key Takeaways
- India secured nine gold medals at the World Boxing Cup Finals 2025.
- Overall, India won 20 medals across all categories.
- This achievement positions India as a superpower in boxing.
- Future competitions include the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.
- The performance is expected to improve boxer rankings significantly.
New Delhi, Nov 21 (NationPress) The president of the Boxing Federation of India, Ajay Singh, highlighted that India's remarkable showing at the recently held World Boxing Cup Finals 2025 is proof that Indian boxing has evolved from being an emerging contender to a genuine powerhouse in the sport.
India achieved an extraordinary feat by securing nine gold medals and medaling in all 20 categories at this esteemed tournament, where only the top eight athletes from two World Boxing Cup legs qualify. The final tally for India was nine golds, six silvers, and five bronzes, leaving Singh understandably thrilled with the results.
“This marks a red-letter day for Indian boxing. I don’t recall India winning 20 medals, including nine golds, in any international tournament in our history,” Singh remarked, emphasizing that this is merely the beginning of a long path aimed at achieving success in the Asian Games and the Olympics.
The boxing calendar for 2026 is packed, with athletes set to compete in the Asian Games and the Commonwealth Games. Meanwhile, junior athletes are also gearing up to shine at the Youth Olympics.
Singh pointed out that the World Boxing Cup Finals awarded double the points compared to the two World Boxing Cups, indicating that this stellar performance will greatly enhance the boxers' rankings, improving their chances for favorable draws in major competitions.
All nine gold medalists credited the support from the BFI and their fellow competitors as key to their achievements.
“A significant portion of the credit goes to the BFI and our coaching staff for this success. Just a few years ago, India was struggling in the global rankings, but now we sit in third place,” remarked Nikhat Zareen, a two-time world champion.
Nikhat, making her return after an absence from competition for most of 2025, captured the gold in the 51kg category.
Preeti, who took home the women’s 54kg gold, said that competing in front of a home crowd significantly boosted her confidence.
“After a long hiatus from major events, being in India made me feel secure about my chances, and I’m thrilled to have won the gold medal,” she expressed.