Asian Games 2026 / Golden Punch! Ankush Panghal Leads India's Three-Gold Boxing Triumph at Asian Games

Nishio, Oct 2: India wrapped up a memorable boxing campaign at the Asian Games with a stellar haul of six medals, including three golds, as Ankush Panghal delivered a commanding performance to clinch the men's 80kg title on Friday.

The Indian boxer outclassed South Korea's Minseong Kim 4-0 in the final at the Nishio Gymnasium, capping off a highly successful outing for the country's pugilists at the Aichi-Nagoya Games.

Ankush dominated the bout from the outset and secured the verdict of four of the five judges, winning by scores of 30-26, while the fifth judge scored it 28-28. The Korean boxer was also docked a point for a warning in the opening round.

The Indian boxer took the first round 4-1 with aggressive punching and maintained his dominance in the second round, winning it 5-0 through a combination of sharp one-two combinations and effective counter-attacks. Although Kim landed a few punches, Ankush remained in complete control.

In the final round, Ankush once again showcased his defensive awareness and counter-punching skills, claiming the round 4-1 to seal an emphatic 4-0 victory.

His triumph completed India's boxing campaign with three gold and three bronze medals. Parveen Hooda and Lovlina Borgohain had earlier secured gold medals in their respective categories.

Parveen edged past Chinese Taipei's Nien-chin Che in a closely fought women's final. After winning the opening round 5-0, she saw Che level the contest with a 5-0 score in the second round. However, Parveen held her nerve in the decisive round, winning it 3-2 to claim gold via a split 3-2 verdict.

The Rohtak-born boxer became only the third Indian woman to win an Asian Games boxing gold medal after MC Mary Kom and Lovlina Borgohain.
Also Read: Indian Women's Recurve Team Stuns Mighty Korea to Win Historic First-Ever Asian Games Gold

Lovlina celebrated her 29th birthday in style, securing India's first women's boxing gold in 12 years by defeating China's Ziyi Bao 5-0 in the 75kg final. The Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist improved on her silver medal from the previous Asian Games with a dominant performance.

India also earned bronze medals through Kapil Pokhariya (90kg), Narender Berwal (+90kg) and Priya Ghanghas (60kg). The country fielded 11 boxers at the Games, with several others making deep runs but falling short of the medal rounds.