Asian Boxing: Preeti stuns Olympic medallist; Priya, Arundhati in final

Preeti Pawar led India's charge at the Asian Boxing Championships, beating an Olympic medallist to reach the 54kg final. Priya (60kg) and Arundhati Choudhary (70kg) also advanced to their respective gold medal bouts in Ulaanbaatar.

India's Bantamweight dynamo Preeti Pawar downed Paris Olympics bronze medallist Aeji Im of Korea to book her place in the 54kg Elite Women's final at the Asian Boxing Championships 2026 on Monday. Indian women's team's Priya and Arundhati Choudhary also joined Preeti in the title bouts, easing past their respective semifinal opponents in Ulaanbaatar, as per a Boxing Federation of India (BFI) press release.

Path to the Finals

In the women's 54 kg semifinal, Preeti, gold medallist from the World Boxing Cup Finals, delivered a composed and clinical performance. She will now face Chinese Taipei's Huang Hsiao-wen, a three-time World Champion (2019, 2023, 2025) and Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze medallist, in a marquee gold medal clash.

In the women's 60kg category, Priya produced a commanding display to defeat Namuun Monkhor (MGL) by a 5-0 unanimous decision, sealing her spot in the final. She will now take on North Korea's Un Gyong Won in the title bout.

In the women's 70kg category, Arundhati impressed with a 4-1 victory over Oysha Toirova (UZB), showcasing control and composure to progress to the final. She is set to face Kazakhstan's Bakyt Seidish next.

Indian Boxers Secure Bronze Medals

In the women's 65kg category, Ankushita Boro went down 0-3 to Chinese Taipei's Nien-Chin Chen, the Paris Olympics bronze medallist, in the semifinals. The bout was interrupted due to a power supply issue after the first round, following which the result was decided based on points.

In the women's 70kg category, Arundhati impressed with a 4-1 victory over Oysha Toirova (UZB), showcasing control and composure to progress to the final. She is set to face Kazakhstan's Bakyt Seidish next.

Meanwhile, in the women's 51kg category, Nikhat Zareen went down 0-5 to China's Wu Yu, the reigning Olympic gold medallist and one of the most dominant boxers in the division, in the semifinals.

In the women's 75kg category, Lovlina Borgohain suffered a 0-5 defeat to Uzbekistan's Aziza Zokirova, a World Championships bronze medallist in the 70kg category, known for her aggressive style and strong international performances.

In the women's 80kg category, Pooja Rani bowed out after a 0-5 loss to Kazakhstan's Nadezhda Ryabets, a 2023 World Championships bronze medallist and an experienced campaigner.

Upcoming Bouts

With four boxers already through to the finals, India's campaign continues with two more semifinal bouts in the women's 48kg and 57kg categories scheduled for April 7. (ANI)

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