New Delhi: World boxing is going through a churn. The new international governing body for the sport, World Boxing, has devised a new competition calendar, format, and ranking system. Weight classes have been reduced from 13 to 10. Boxers around the world, who until last year were competing under the International Boxing Association’s (IBA) banner, are adapting to these changes.
The World Boxing Cup series was introduced to give more relevance to Olympic-style boxing, and it culminates in the Finals that are being held in Greater Noida starting Saturday.
As per the format, the winners of the three World Boxing Cup stages and top-ranked boxers compete for prize money and a trophy. The most important tournament in the calendar, the World Championship, was held in September. The season-ending finale, therefore, has not attracted too many top stars and ranked boxers (56 out of 128 entries are not in the world ranking points).
There will still be a fair sprinkling of international stars in Olympic medallists, world medallists, and World Cup stage winners. The presence of top boxing nations like Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, and Chinese Taipei will make it a tougher test. China, though, is giving the tournament a miss. Notable among the top boxers are Huang Hsiao-Wen, the reigning world champion from Chinese Taipei in 54kg; Paris Olympics medallists Aeji Im (South Korea, 54kg), Chinese Taipei’s Wu Shih-Yi (57kg) and Chen Nien Chin (65kg); and Germany’s Muller Leonie, the 70kg boxer who has medals from all three World Cup stages. Among men, England’s Kamara Odel Pauly, a world bronze medallist, and Italy’s Attrativo Salvatore, the Poland stage gold medallist, will be the ones to watch.
In the Indian context, the tournament assumes significance, considering that four women boxers won medals at the recently held World Championships. Minakshi Hooda, who clinched the 48kg title; 57kg world champion Jaismine Lamboria; silver medallist Nupur Sheoran (+80kg); and bronze medallist Pooja Rani (80kg) are all part of the Indian team.
It will provide a platform for two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen (51kg) to return to the podium at home. She competed in the World Championships this year but lost to Olympic silver medallist Buse Naz Çakıroğlu of Turkiye in the quarters. Paris Olympian Preeti Pawar returns to the team in 54kg, replacing Sakshi Chaudhary. The weight class has some of the best boxers featuring in the competition, and it will be a challenge for Preeti to prove herself on the big stage yet again.
Two-time world youth champion Arundhati Choudhary also gets a look-in after missing the year with an injury. All of them will be hoping to get a good draw, which will be held on Saturday. The women’s field is stronger compared to the men’s, and some quality action is expected from the quarterfinals onwards.
The big challenge will be for the Indian men’s team to punch above their weight. There will be hopes from Hitesh (70kg), Abhinash Jamwal (65kg)—medallists from the World Boxing Cup stages this season—Sachin (60kg), Jadumani Mandengbam (50kg), and Lakshya Chahar (80kg). They have all impressed in various stages of the World Cup, and with the Finals now happening at home, it is time they get into winning ways before major competitions lined up next year. Though Uzbekistan (nine boxers in men) and Kazakhstan (eight) are sending their second-string teams, it will still be a big task for the home boxers to defeat them. Indian boxers have always performed well at home, and one would hope fans will be treated to some good action.
