Ankush Panghal Secures Medal for India in Boxing at Asian Games 2026

Indian boxer Ankush Panghal has guaranteed a medal for his nation in the men's 80 kg category at the ongoing Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya 2026. He achieved this by defeating Tajikistan's Nekruz Salimov in the quarterfinals on Sunday.

According to reports, Ankush triumphed with a unanimous decision of 5-0 against Nekruz. His exceptional speed and powerful punches set him apart from the Tajik competitor.

In the initial round, while Nekruz focused on counter-punching and defense, Ankush was aggressive, landing numerous right hooks and winning the round 5-0.

Continuing his momentum, Ankush opened the second round with a strong left hook, delivering several impactful blows to Nekruz's body. Although the Tajik boxer attempted a powerful uppercut, Ankush countered effectively, securing another 5-0 round victory.

In the final round, Nekruz became desperate, trying to land a knockout punch. Despite losing the round 4-1, Ankush's dominance in the first two rounds ensured his overall victory by unanimous decision.

Ankush is set to face a formidable opponent in the semifinals, the reigning 75 kg world champion, Fazliddin Erkinboev from Uzbekistan, on September 29.

Team India has had a varied performance across different sports during the Asian Games.

India had a strong performance in archery, with Dhiraj Bommadevara and Kumkum Mohod, along with Sahil Jadhav and Chikitha Taniparthi, advancing to the semifinals in their respective mixed team events.

Dhiraj and Kumkum won their quarterfinal match against Vietnam 6-0, following a Round of 16 victory over the UAE. They will compete against Japan in the semifinals on October 2.

Sahil and Chikitha also secured a win, defeating Kazakhstan 159-154 in the compound mixed team event after previously overcoming Mongolia. They will face Thailand in the semifinals on September 30.

In surfing, Sivaraj Babu progressed to round three of the men's shortboard event, outperforming Iran's Davoud Khadir with a score of 8.96. He joins fellow Indian Kishore Kumar in the next round, with all four Indian surfers in both men's and women's shortboard events advancing.

Sugar Shanti Gayen and Kamali Prakash also reached the third round, with Sugar defeating Chen Wan-yu of Chinese Taipei and Kamali overcoming Singapore's Camille Marie Spaccarotella.