India delivered one of its most commanding collective displays at a global boxing event as all five Indian men’s boxers competing on Day 2 of the World Boxing Cup Finals advanced to the semifinals, confirming medals across both the afternoon and evening sessions at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex in Greater Noida.
The day brought a rare mix of upsets, dominance, and tactical brilliance. In the afternoon session, Pawan Bartwal (55kg) launched India’s surge with a superb unanimous 5:0 victory over Kazakhstan’s Altynbek Nursultan, the reigning World Boxing Cup Brazil gold medallist. His win was followed by similarly emphatic results from Sumit (75kg) and Naveen (90kg), both posting 5:0 triumphs in bouts they controlled start to finish.
The momentum intensified further in the evening session as Hitesh Gulia (70kg) and M. Jadumani Singh (50kg) stepped up to deliver two of the most composed and significant wins of their careers. Hitesh stunned the field with a split-decision win against Japanese superstar Sewonrets Okazawa, the two-time Olympian and 2022 Asian Games champion. Jadumani ensured a perfect close to the day with a clinical 5:0 victory over Kazakhstan’s Nurzat Ongarov, sealing India’s fifth medal of the day.
Pawan’s Breakthrough: First International Medal in Style
Pawan’s performance set the tone early. Facing the tournament’s second seed and a fighter who had dominated the World Cup circuit earlier this year, the Indian boxer showed exemplary defensive composure and ring intelligence. He consistently disrupted Nursultan’s rhythm, controlled the pace, and landed the cleaner scoring blows across all three rounds.
The 5:0 verdict reflected his command, but it was the significance of the moment that stood out. This semifinal berth also confirmed Pawan’s first international medal, marking a 15-year journey from domestic promise to global recognition.
“This is my first international medal and I am extremely proud. Fighting in front of the home crowd gave me confidence, and I knew I had to stay composed against a champion like Nursultan,” Pawan said after the bout.
Sumit and Naveen Add to India’s Medal Haul
In the 75kg quarterfinal, Sumit delivered one of his sharpest performances of the season. A powerful jab early in the fight forced South Korea’s Kim Hyeon-tae backward, and from there the Indian dominated the exchanges. He applied sustained pressure, worked the body effectively, and never allowed Kim to recover control. The 5:0 scoreline was a fair reflection of his tactical precision.
Naveen (90kg), a Strandja 2024 medallist, added another polished win with a unanimous verdict over Kazakhstan’s Bekzat Tangatar. Leveraging his reach advantage, he kept the Kazakh boxer on the outside, choosing his moments smartly. His footwork and distance control ensured Tangatar rarely got close enough to threaten, helping India secure yet another semifinal spot.
Hitesh Shocks Asian Games Champion Okazawa
If Pawan’s win was the upset of the afternoon, Hitesh Gulia’s performance in the evening session rivalled it. Coming up against Sewonrets Okazawa, one of the most decorated boxers in the draw, Hitesh delivered a composed and courageous display. The bout unfolded cautiously in the first round, but Hitesh capitalised on a brief opening late in the second round with a clean left hook that swung the momentum. Okazawa responded strongly in the last round, but Hitesh’s cleaner early work proved decisive in earning him a narrow but deserved 3:2 split-decision win.
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The result was not only a personal milestone but also one of India’s biggest wins of the campaign so far.
Closing the night in the 50kg category, M. Jadumani Singh produced a sharp 5:0 win over Kazakhstan’s Nurzat Ongarov. His high-tempo style and relentless forward pressure pinned Ongarov to the ropes repeatedly, allowing the Indian boxer to control the scoring and ensure a flawless finish to India’s day.
With five more men confirming medals, India now has all twenty boxers entering the semifinals. Among them are World Champion Minakshi (48kg), Preeti (54kg), Arundhati Choudhary (70kg), former World Champion Saweety Boora (75kg), heavyweights Narender and Ankush, and rising prospect Abhinash Jamwal, who opens his campaign against Elvin Aliiev of Ukraine.
India’s Day 2 at the World Boxing Cup Finals will be remembered not only for its perfect win record but also for the calibre of opponents the boxers overcame.
With momentum firmly on their side, the semifinal stage promises another high-stakes chapter as India pushes for multiple finals spots and possibly its finest-ever finish at a world-level boxing event.
