India’s remarkable run at the World Boxing Cup Finals 2025 gathered even greater momentum on Wednesday as reigning World Champion Jaismine Lamboria (57kg) produced another flawless display to enter the final at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex.
With a commanding 5:0 victory over Kazakhstan’s Ulzhan Sarsenbek, the former Asian Youth Champion, Jaismine once again underlined why she is currently one of the most dominant forces in women’s featherweight boxing.
Her semifinal performance was a showcase of complete ring control balancing aggression, rhythm, and discipline with clinical precision. Jaismine started strongly, dictating the space and tempo, stitching together flowing three-punch and four-punch combinations at will. Her defensive structure remained compact throughout, with well-timed slips, shoulder rolls, and counter-jabs neutralising Sarsenbek’s attempts to surge forward. Even when the Kazakh boxer mounted a late push in the third round, the Indian southpaw maintained composure, answering every attack with clean counters to seal a unanimous win.
The victory sets up a mouth-watering final against Wu Shih-Yi—the Paris Olympics medalist and one of the most decorated boxers in the division. The Chinese Taipei boxer’s blend of experience and technical finesse presents a formidable challenge, but Jaismine enters the bout in peak form, riding a wave of confidence from her World Championships triumph earlier this year.
Pawan Bartwal and Jadumani Singh Extend India’s Surge
India’s brilliance on the day did not stop at Jaismine’s triumph. Pawan Bartwal (55kg) and Jadumani Singh (50kg) added to the host nation’s tally of finalists with emphatic victories of their own.
Pawan, who has emerged as one of India’s biggest revelations this season, produced an excellent tactical turnaround after a closely contested opening round. Facing England’s Ellis Trowbridge, the young Indian boxer accelerated sharply in the second round, switching angles, slipping counters, and peppering his opponent with crisp one-twos. By the final round, Pawan’s confidence was unmistakable as he controlled distance, dictated pace, and scored freely to secure a unanimous 5:0 verdict.
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Jadumani’s performance was even more commanding. Up against Australia’s Omer Izaz, an Astana World Cup medalist known for his reach and movement, the Indian boxer chose relentless pressure as his primary weapon. Cutting off the ring early, Jadumani forced his taller opponent onto the ropes repeatedly, landing compact hooks and uppercuts and preventing Izaz from settling into his rhythm. His footwork stood out: he stepped in and out with quick bursts, continually shifting angles and keeping the Australian guessing. The result a dominant 5:0 win was a reflection of both the strategy and the execution.
Earlier in the day, Jugnoo (85kg) suffered a 5:0 defeat and bowed out of medal contention, while Neeraj Phogat (65kg) delivered one of the most spirited performances of the session against Olympic medalist Chen Nien-Chin of Chinese Taipei. Neeraj pushed the decorated champion into uncomfortable exchanges and held her ground through tight infighting exchanges, but ultimately fell short in a narrow 3:2 split decision.
Despite these setbacks, India’s overall campaign remains historic in scale. Ten Indian boxers have already booked their places in Thursday’s finals, and with four more still competing in Session 7, the nation’s gold-medal count could surge even higher.
High-Stakes Clashes Await Indian Contingent
Thursday’s finals promise drama, quality, and several world-class matchups featuring Indian boxers across weight categories.
In the women’s section, Preeti (54kg) prepares for a demanding encounter against Italy’s Sirine Carrabi, the 2023 World Championships silver medalist and 2025 world bronze medalist. Carrabi’s long-range boxing and ability to control the centre will test Preeti’s pressure-based style. Minakshi (48kg) is set to face Ukraine’s Fozilona Farzova, a technically gifted boxer with fast counters. In the 63kg division, Parveen takes on Japan’s Ayaka Taguchi, a consistent performer across World Championships and Asian Games cycles and known for her high motor and inside fighting strength.
Among the standout clashes is Arundhati Choudhary (70kg), who enters the final after defeating Germany’s Leonie Müller. She now faces Uzbekistan’s Aziza Zokirova, the 2022 Asian Youth champion and 2024 Asian silver medalist a boxer with strong fundamentals and sharp tactical discipline. In the heavier divisions, Nupur (80+kg) faces Uzbekistan’s Sotimboeva Oltinoy, while Pooja (80kg) takes on her toughest assignment yet: Poland’s Agata Kaczmarska, the reigning +80kg World Champion and a powerful puncher with elite tournament pedigree.
Men’s Finals: Power Fights on the Horizon
On the men’s side, Ankush Phangal (80kg) enters a blockbuster final against England’s Shittu Oladimeji, the 2024 World Boxing Cup champion and one of the most explosive boxers in the European circuit. The Super Heavyweight final pits India’s Narender Berwal (90+kg) against Uzbekistan’s unbeaten knockout specialist Khalimjon Mamasoliev a contest that promises sheer power and high drama.
In the lightweight category, Abhinash Jamwal (60kg) squares off against Japan’s Shion Nishiyama, a seasoned campaigner with deep experience across Olympic qualifiers and World Cups.
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With ten finalists confirmed and several more on the brink of qualification, the World Boxing Cup Finals 2025 may turn out to be one of India’s most successful outings in recent memory. The depth of talent on display—from seasoned champions like Jaismine and Arundhati to rising stars like Pawan, Jadumani, and Minakshi—signals a new chapter in India’s high-performance boxing ecosystem.
Thursday promises fireworks, history, and possibly a record medal haul for the hosts.
