India delivered a flawless performance at the World Boxing Cup Finals 2025 as Pawan Bartwal and Hitesh Gulia produced stunning upsets over top international champions, securing a perfect medal sweep on Day 2 and boosting India’s semifinal hopes.
India’s sensational run at the World Boxing Cup Finals 2025 continued on Day 2, with two of the biggest upsets of the tournament coming from Indian boxers Pawan Bartwal (55kg) and Hitesh Gulia (70kg), who toppled top-seeded global champions in front of a roaring home crowd on Monday. Their victories, combined with dominant wins from Sumit (75kg), Naveen (90kg) and Jadumani Singh (50kg), ensured that India ended the day with an immaculate medal sweep across all sessions.
Pawan’s 15-Year Dream Turns Into a Magical Reality
For Pawan Bartwal, the moment was nothing short of transformative. Facing Altynbek Nursultan, the Brazilian World Boxing Cup gold medallist and the second seed in his weight category, the 55kg quarterfinal was expected to be a steep challenge. Yet Pawan delivered one of the most disciplined, tactical, and fearless performances of his career.
Showing remarkable defensive awareness and exceptional tempo control, Pawan consistently pushed Nursultan onto the ropes while capitalizing on precise scoring opportunities. The home crowd erupted with every clean punch as the Indian boxer dismantled a world champion with poise and maturity.
After the victory, Pawan said in an emotional statement to the Boxing Federation of India:
“Nursultan is a strong boxer—he won gold at the World Boxing Cup in Brazil this year. I was nervous initially, but fighting in front of our home crowd gave me immense confidence. This tournament is very important for my career. This is my first international medal, and I feel extremely proud.”
The win marked one of India’s finest performances in the opening rounds of this elite eight-boxer global competition.
Hitesh Stuns Olympic Star Okazawa in a Dramatic 3:2 Thriller
The evening’s most electrifying encounter came when Hitesh Gulia squared off against two-time Olympian and 2022 Asian Games gold medallist Sewon Okazawa, the top seed in the 70kg category. The bout began cautiously, with both fighters guarding tightly and calculating their moves.
However, the course of the match changed in the second round when Hitesh landed a powerful hook that shook Okazawa’s rhythm. The Japanese star fought back strongly in the third round, but Hitesh’s clean, early scoring proved decisive as the judges delivered a narrow 3:2 split verdict in favour of the Indian boxer.
The victory not only secured Hitesh his place in the semifinals but also marked one of the tournament’s biggest upsets.
Sumit, Naveen, and Jadumani Keep India’s Medal Trail Shining
Earlier in the day, Sumit (75kg) added to India’s golden run with an assertive 5:0 win over South Korea’s Kim Hyeon-tae. A sharp punch to the face in the opening minute set the tone for a bout dominated entirely by Sumit’s tactical control and relentless aggression. Kim was forced into a defensive shell as the Indian boxer dictated every exchange.
Naveen, a Strandja 2024 medallist, displayed calm precision and intelligent footwork to defeat Kazakhstan’s Bekzat Tangatar, securing yet another medal for India.
In the final session, Jadumani Singh (50kg) opened his campaign with a clinical unanimous decision win over Nurzat Ongarov of Kazakhstan. His fast-paced attacks and ring movement overwhelmed his opponent from the very first round.
Elsewhere: Strong Wins for Taiwan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Ukraine and Poland
Outside the Indian bouts, Taiwan’s Wu Shih-Yi, a Paris Olympics medallist, delivered one of the standout victories of the day with a dominant 5:0 win over Uzbekistan’s Sitora Turdibekova in the women’s 57kg division.
Uzbekistan’s Samandar Olimov (55kg) and Javokhir Abdurakhimov (75kg), along with England’s Ellis Trowbridge, also advanced with strong performances.
Day 3: Ten Indians Eye Finals Spots
A record 10 Indian boxers will enter semifinal action on Day 3.
Key matchups include:
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Minakshi (48kg) vs Bak Cho-rong (Korea)
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Preeti (54kg) vs Olympic medallist and three-time World Champion Huang Hsiao-Wen
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Arundhati Choudhary (70kg) vs Germany’s Leonie Muller, a triple World Boxing Cup medallist
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Saweety Boora (75kg) vs Emma-Sue Greetree (Australia)
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Narender, Naveen, Ankush, and Abhinash Jamwal (vs Ukraine’s Elvin Aliiev) will also be vying for finals berths.
With confidence high and the home crowd behind them, India’s semifinal lineup looks stronger than ever.
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