Shiva Thapa To Lead Indian Squad In Men’s World Boxing Championships In Tashkent, Amit Pangha Misses Out

New Delhi: Six-time Asian Championships medallist Shiva Thapa will spearhead the Indian squad in the men’s World Boxing Championships even as last edition’s silver medallist Amit Panghal will miss out on the marquee event to be held in Tashkent, Uzbekistan from April 30 to May 14.

Shiva, who won a World Championships bronze in Doha in 2015, will be looking to add another medal to his name. He will be representing the country in the 63.5kg category.

Reigning Commonwealth Games champion Panghal, on the other hand, finished second behind 2019 Asian Championships silver medallist Deepak Bhoria under Boxing Federation of India’s new selection policy in the 51kg flyweight category.

He scored 682 after the three-week evaluation process where the boxers were judged on various parameters, while Deepak, who has been one of the most improved boxers in recent times, had an overall total of 731.

Notably, Panghal had become the first male boxer from the country to clinch a silver medal at the world event, in 2019.

Deepak announced his arrival on the global stage in 2021, when he defeated 2016 Rio Olympics gold medallist and 2019 world champion Shakhobidin Zoirov of Uzbekistan, at the Strandja Memorial tournament.

“Men’s team has been working extremely hard and I wish them all the best. I am confident each one of them will make the country proud,” said Ajay Singh, president, Boxing Federation of India (BFI), in a release.

The Indian team will leave for Tashkent on April 17 and they will attend a multi-nation training camp before the World Championships.

The championships will also feature seven defending world champions including Sofiane Oumiha from France, Japan’s Tomoya Tsuboi and Sewonrets Okazawa, Loren Alfonso from Azerbaijan, Saken Bibossinov from Kazakhstan and Cuba’s Yoenlis Hernandez Martinez and Julio La Cruz.

The Indian team will also have experienced campaigner and 2022 Asian Championships bronze medallist Mohammad Hussamuddin. He will box in the highly competitive 57kg category at the showpiece event.