All you need to know about India's campaign at the Asian Boxing Championships 2026

India’s campaign at the Asian Boxing Championships 2026 is set to begin on Monday, March 30, with a mix of favourable draws and challenging opening bouts, as several top Indian boxers received byes while others face tough first-round matchups.

India’s women’s contingent will see multiple top names advance directly to the next round. Nikhat Zareen (51 kg), Jaismine (57 kg), Ankushita Boro (65 kg), Arundhati Choudhary (70 kg), Lovlina Borgohain (75 kg), and Alfiya Patahan (80+ kg) have all received byes, boosting India’s medal prospects early in the tournament.

Among those in action in the opening round:

• Minakshi (48 kg) will take on Japan’s Yuka Sadamatasu
• Preeti Pawar (54 kg) faces Elina Bazarova of Kazakhstan
• Priya (60 kg) goes up against Rimma Volossenko of Kazakhstan
• Pooja Rani (80 kg) meets Nadezhda Ryabets of Kazakhstan

Challenging draws in Men’s Categories

On the men’s side, India faces a series of competitive bouts right from the opening day.

• Vishvanath Suresh (50 kg) begins against Bekzat Ergeshov (Kyrgyzstan)
• Jadumani Singh (55 kg) has one of the toughest draws, facing top seed Rui Yamaguchi (Japan)
• Sachin (60 kg) takes on Buyandalai Bayarkhuu (Mongolia)
• Aditya Pratap Singh (65 kg) meets Mouda Alhawsaw (Saudi Arabia)
• Deepak (70 kg) faces Khavasbek Asadullaev (Uzbekistan)

Other key bouts include:

• Akash (75 kg) vs Yhlas Bagtyyarov (Turkmenistan)
• Lokesh (85 kg) vs Kim Gichae (South Korea)
• Harsh Choudhary (90 kg) vs Tynystan Alybaev (Kyrgyzstan)

Meanwhile, Ankush (80 kg) and Narender (90+ kg) progress directly to the next round with byes.

With a balanced draw featuring both direct entries into later rounds and high-intensity opening bouts, India will aim to build early momentum as the Asian Boxing Championships 2026 gets underway.

The presence of experienced names like Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain, combined with emerging talent across weight categories, positions India as a strong contender in the tournament.

Where to watch

Fans can watch all the action live on the Asian Boxing Live website.