Asian Boxing C’ships: Preeti, Deepak start India’s campaign with wins
Ulaanbaatar, March 30 (IANS/WISHAVWARTA) Preeti Pawar and Deepak from India delivered an impressive start at the 2026 Asian Boxing Championships in Mongolia, securing tough victories against strong opponents on Monday.
In the women’s 54kg category, Preeti Pawar, a gold medallist at the World Boxing Cup Finals, delivered a strong performance to win 5-0 unanimously over Kazakhstan’s Elina Bazarova, a former Asian U22 champion (2025). Facing a highly skilled opponent, Preeti’s precise victory made a powerful start to her campaign.
In the men’s 70kg category, Deepak, who earned a silver medal at the Boxam Elite International 2026 and a bronze at the Asian Youth Boxing Championships 2022, performed confidently to narrowly defeat Uzbekistan’s Khavasbek Asadullaev with a 3-2 split decision. Competing against a nation known for its strength in amateur boxing, Deepak demonstrated tactical discipline and resilience in a tightly fought match.
The Indian team started their campaign perfectly with two wins from two matches in the tournament’s initial phase.
The Asian Boxing Championships 2026 showcases top boxing talent from throughout the continent, with early matches often being as tough as the later rounds because of the high level of competition.
Earlier on Sunday, the draw confirmed key opening bouts and byes across categories. While Preeti was set to face Bazarova in the 54 kg category, Priya was slotted against Rimma Volossenko (KAZ) in the 60 kg.
Moreover, Minakshi will face Japan’s Yuka Sadamatsu, while Pooja Rani goes up against Kazakhstan’s Nadezhda Ryabets. Meanwhile, Nikhat Zareen, Jaismine Lamboria, Ankushita Boro, Arundhati Choudhary, Lovlina Borgohain, and Alfiya Patahan advanced with byes, according to information received from the Boxing Federation of India (BFI).
On the men’s side, Vishvanath Suresh opens against Bekzat Ergeshov (KGZ), while Jadumani Singh faces top seed Rui Yamaguchi (JPN) in a tough 55 kg bout. Sachin will take on Buyandalai Bayarkhuu (MGL), and Aditya Pratap Singh faces Mouda Alhawsaw (KSA). Ankush and Narender progress with byes, while Akash, Lokesh, and Harsh Choudhary are also set for key bouts in their respective categories.
