Greater Noida: Jaismine Lamboria stunned Olympic Medallist Wu Shih Yi while Nikhat Zareen, Parveen, Minakshi, Preeti, Arundhati & Nupur won gold medals as India delivered its greatest-ever performance on the global stage, clinching nine gold medals on a landmark final day of the World Boxing Cup Finals 2025 at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex here on Thursday.
In front of a roaring home crowd, India produced a statement of dominance across key Olympic-class divisions, with the women leading the charge with a historic sweep.
Two gold-medal wins in the men’s section added to a defining campaign for the host nation as India finished their campaign with nine gold, six silver, and five bronze medals, with each of the 20 participating pugilists securing a podium finish.
The day belonged to India’s women pugilists, who produced a golden rush with Minakshi (48kg), Preeti (54kg), Arundhati Choudhary (70kg), and Nupur (80+kg) securing the yellow metal each in the afternoon session.
Jaismine Lamboria (57kg) was the star of the evening session with a stunning victory, while World Champion Nikhat Zareen (51kg) and Parveen (60kg) also climbed to the top of the podium. With the Los Angeles Olympics set to introduce gender parity across weight categories, Indian women’s dominance on the final day further highlighted the nation’s rising stature in world boxing.
The evening’s highlight was reigning World Champion Jaismine, who stunned Paris Olympic medalist Wu Shih Yi 4:1 in a blockbuster final. Fighting with swagger and composure, she imposed her rhythm early with flowing combinations and absorbed late pressure with poise to claim one of India’s biggest wins of the event.
Nikhat Zareen dismantled Chinese Taipei’s Guo Yi Xuan 5:0 with vintage precision and ring control, while Parveen delivered a gritty 3:2 triumph over Japan’s Ayaka Taguchi with sharp counters and superior movement.
Earlier in the day, Minakshi opened the medal rush with a commanding 5:0 win over reigning Asian Champion Farzona Fozilova, showcasing blistering pace, razor-sharp accuracy, and airtight defence, including a stunning left–right combination that set the tone from Round 1. Preeti followed with another emphatic 5:0 sweep, overpowering Italy’s World Championships medalist Sirine Charrabi through constant pressure and clean scoring blows.
Arundhati Choudhary—on a remarkable comeback after 18 months—dominated Uzbekistan’s Aziza Zokirova with a decisive 5:0 win built on precise jabs, disciplined defence, and complete tactical control. Nupur edged a cagey 3:2 battle against Uzbekistan’s Sotimboeva Oltinoy, sealing her maiden World Boxing Cup Finals title with clutch shot-making in the final round.
Men win two gold medals
India’s male pugilists added two more gold medals to cap a dominant home campaign. Sachin (60kg) produced a flawless 5:0 win over Kyrgyzstan’s Munarbek uulu Seiitbek, blending accuracy, momentum control, and clean punching. The most dramatic victory of the finals came from Hitesh (70kg), who overturned an early deficit to edge Kazakhstan’s Nurbek Mursal 3:2 in a thrilling bout, roaring back in Rounds 2 and 3 with heavy counters and a composed finish.
India added six silver medals through Jadumani Singh (50kg), Pawan Bartwal (55kg), Abhinash Jamwal (65kg), and Ankush Phangal (80kg), all of whom produced commendable runs in one of the strongest fields ever assembled in World Boxing Cup history. Narender Berwal (90+kg) battled hard but settled for silver after a 5:0 loss to Uzbekistan’s powerful Khalimjon Mamasoliev, while Pooja Rani went down fighting to World Boxing Cup medalist Agata Kaczmarska in the women’s 80kg final.
Beyond India’s historic gold rush, the remaining finals delivered standout performances from several global powerhouses. Australia’s Emma-Sue Greentree impressed with a dominant 5:0 win over Italy’s Melissa Gemini in the women’s 75kg final, while Olympic medalist Chen Nien-Chin of Chinese Taipei produced a clinical 4:1 victory in the women’s 65kg division.
Uzbekistan dominated multiple divisions, with Asilbek Jalilov (50kg), Samandar Olimov (55kg), Javokhir Abdurakhimov (75kg), and Mamasoliev (90+kg) all clinching gold through commanding displays. England celebrated two champions—Shittu Oladimeji, who overpowered Ankush at 80kg, and Isaac Okoh, who secured the 90kg crown—while Japan’s Shion Nishiyama prevailed 4:1 in the men’s 65kg final and Kazakhstan’s Sultanbek Aibaruly topped the 85kg men’s section.
(IANS)
