World No.44 to Asia’s best, how Indian boxers turned a corner
India’s Boxers Rise to the Top of Asia
Bharatmorningnews.com – India’s boxing contingent produced its strongest Asian Games performance yet in Japan, collecting six medals and finishing first in the sport’s medal standings. The haul included three gold medals and three bronze, marking a significant change from the country’s ninth-place finish at the 2023 Hangzhou Asian Games.
Lovlina Borgohain took gold in the 75kg division, while Parveen Hooda won the 65kg title and Ankush Panghal emerged victorious in the 80kg category. Kapil Pokhariya earned bronze at 90kg, Narender Berwal finished on the podium in the +90kg class, and Priya Ghanghas claimed bronze at 60kg.
At Hangzhou in 2023, India had returned with one silver and three bronze medals. This time, the team’s leading position reflected a broader improvement that had been visible across major competitions during the previous year.
Results Pointed to a Stronger Team
India had already won 16 medals at this year’s Asian Championships, more than any other team in total. Kazakhstan finished ahead on the basis of gold medals, despite taking 13 medals overall. At the 2025 World Championships, India placed third with four medals: two gold, one silver and one bronze. Kazakhstan led with 10 medals, including seven gold, while Uzbekistan won 11 medals, six of them gold.
The Commonwealth Games in July and August also offered an indication of India’s progress. The team registered a record seven gold medals and three silver medals to lead the boxing table. That outcome required context because Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and China, three major forces in the sport, do not compete at the Commonwealth Games. The Asian Games therefore carried greater weight as a measure of India’s standing against leading regional rivals.
Lovlina’s medal was consistent with her experience and past results, including her silver medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games. The medals from the heavyweight categories, however, were an especially notable feature of India’s campaign.
“We expected these many medals but from different weight categories. Ankush has been a revelation. Narender is a medallist from the last Asiad and Kapil has a lot of potential,” national coach CA Kuttappa said.
Ankush Panghal’s Move Pays Off
Ankush Panghal’s gold at 80kg followed a carefully considered change in weight category. Only last year, he lost the Inter-Services final to Hitesh Gulia in the 70kg class. Panghal had hoped to shift to 75kg, which is not an Olympic category, but his regular body weight made an 80kg move more suitable.
With a maintenance range of around 82kg to 83kg, Kuttappa believed the Olympic 80kg division offered the better long-term route. The coaching staff now wants Panghal’s maintenance weight to rise to approximately 85kg, a change expected to strengthen his punching power while retaining the technical qualities that made him effective in Japan.
“We would want his maintenance weight to be around 85kg. That will add a lot to his power. He has strong basics and a very good counter-attacking game,” Kuttappa said.
The success of heavier Indian boxers matters because it broadens the team’s medal potential. Instead of relying on a narrow set of established categories, India now has contenders capable of challenging in divisions where physical strength, timing and tactical control are all decisive.
Sports Science Becomes Part of Preparation
India’s rise has also been tied to a greater use of performance technology. A decade ago, the country was ranked world No. 44 in boxing. The push to modernise preparation gained urgency after the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, and the Boxing Federation of India had obtained specialised equipment for data collection, monitoring and analysis by the end of 2023.
The federation invested about ₹2.5 crore in equipment including GymAware, which tracks velocity and strength development; Firstbeat, a heart-rate monitoring system; and Force Plates used to assess jumping performance. These tools allow coaches and support staff to measure physical changes that may otherwise be difficult to identify during routine training.
Boxers also used Whoop bands to monitor resting heart rate, sleep and other recovery markers. Those measurements gave the support team a clearer picture of how athletes were handling training loads and whether recovery periods were sufficient. A lower resting heart rate can suggest that recovery is progressing well, helping coaches plan when an athlete should reach peak condition.
Parveen Hooda’s preparation demonstrated how the information was applied. Her resting heart rate fell by roughly 10% from her baseline. When considered alongside sleep data and other recovery indicators, that decline suggested she was adapting positively to training.
Jump testing also highlighted a possible area for improvement: the speed of her first movement. Coaches used the findings to focus on faster initiation and greater explosive strength. The process turned raw physical data into individual training adjustments rather than relying solely on general conditioning plans.
“Such sophisticated equipment is a bit of a novelty in our sport. Only the USA and China were using it before us, and the idea took shape after a training trip to USA in 2023,” a BFI official said.
International Sparring Added Competitive Edge
The final phase of preparation included training sessions at NIS Patiala with visiting boxers from the Dominican Republic and Iran. The Dominican group consisted of seven women and three men, while Iran sent boxers in the +90kg, 55kg and 60kg categories.
The exposure gave Indian athletes an opportunity to work against unfamiliar styles before the Asian Games. Dominican boxers brought strong technical ability, while the Iranian approach resembled the styles commonly associated with Uzbek and Kazakh opponents. Such sparring can help athletes test tactics under competitive conditions without waiting for a major tournament.
“It was a real gamechanger. There were a few Olympic medallists among them and our boxers learned a lot while sparring with them. The Dominicans are very good technical boxers, while the Iranians' style is similar to that of the Uzbeks and Kazakhs. It was a wholesome experience. In Japan, North Korea showed interest in coming to India and training with us,” Kuttappa said.
India’s leading finish in Japan was built on more than one standout result. It combined experienced champions, emerging heavyweight performers, targeted weight management, closer recovery monitoring and high-level international preparation. The challenge now will be to maintain that system and convert this Asian Games breakthrough into sustained results at future world events.
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