India’s boxing contingent painted the Asian Games 2026 gold on Friday, delivering an unforgettable masterclass in the ring.
Headlining the historic day was 21-year-old sensation Ankush Panghal, who punched his way into the record books by securing India’s first-ever men’s boxing gold medal at the current games.
Facing South Korea’s formidable Minseong Kim in the men’s 80kg final, the young pugilist from Haryana put on a masterclass of grit and precision. Dominating from the opening bell, Ankush cruised to a resounding 5-0 unanimous victory, taking rounds with scores of 4-1, 5-0, and 4-1, respectively. This stellar triumph adds to a dream season for the youngster, who also clinched gold at his maiden Commonwealth Games earlier this year.
Golden Queens End a 12-Year Drought
The gold rush didn’t stop with the men. In the women’s division, Lovlina Borgohain and Parveen Hooda etched their names in sports history, ending India’s 12-year wait for a women’s boxing title at the Asian Games.
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Lovlina Borgohain (75kg): Celebrating her 29th birthday in style, India’s decorated star put on a clinical performance to defeat China’s Ziyi Bao 5-0, successfully upgrading her previous edition’s silver to gold.
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Parveen Hooda (65kg): In a nail-biting thriller, Parveen eked out a tense 3-2 split-decision win against Paris Olympic bronze-medallist Chen Nien-chin of Chinese Taipei to secure her maiden Asian Games gold.
By capturing the top podium spots, Lovlina and Parveen joined the legendary MC Mary Kom in the elite club of Indian women boxers to claim Asian Games gold.
With Ankush’s breakthrough men’s gold, alongside two earlier bronze medals, India’s boxing camp wraps up a phenomenal campaign, proving once again that the nation’s boxing powerhouse status is stronger than ever.
