Asian Games boxing: Kapil Pokhariya cruises into quarters with 5-0 win

Indian boxer Kapil Pokhariya advanced to the quarterfinals of the men's 91kg category after defeating Iran's Sam Estaki in the round of 16 bout at the Asian Games 2026 on Saturday.

Kapil produced a dominant performance to secure a 5-0 victory over Estaki in a one-sided contest. The Indian boxer made a confident start and took control of the bout from the opening round, winning 4-1. Despite Estaki having a height advantage, Kapil landed the better punches and continued to dictate the pace.

Kapil carried the momentum into the second round, where he once again outperformed his Iranian opponent to secure a unanimous 5-0 score from the judges. In the final round, Estaki struggled to challenge Kapil, who remained composed and maintained his advantage to complete a comfortable victory.

With the win, Kapil moved into the quarterfinals, where he will face the winner of the bout between South Korea's Kim Gichae and Pakistan's Irfan Khan on September 28.

Earlier, Indian boxer Jadumani Singh bowed out of the Asian Games 2026 after losing to the Philippines' Carlo Paalam in the men's 55kg round of 16 on Saturday. Jadumani went down to Paalam by a split decision (3-0) in a closely contested bout.

The Philippines boxer made a strong start and used his speed to trouble Jadumani in the opening round. While Jadumani managed to land a few jabs and put pressure on his opponent, Paalam responded with counter-attacks and finished the round strongly to take a 5-0 lead, with all judges scoring it 10-9 in his favour.

The second round remained a tactical battle, with both boxers trying to find openings. Paalam continued to maintain his advantage, leaving Jadumani needing a strong comeback in the final round. In the final three minutes, both fighters adopted an attacking approach after an initial defensive exchange. They traded punches in a physically demanding finish, but Paalam's advantage from the opening rounds proved decisive.

The Philippines boxer secured the contest by a 3-0 split decision, ending Jadumani's campaign at the Asian Games. With the victory, Paalam advanced to the next stage of the men's 55kg boxing competition, while Jadumani exited the tournament.