Preeti, Deepak open India’s campaign with strong wins at Asian Boxing Championships

Indian boxers Preeti Pawar and Deepak Kumar made an impressive start at the Asian Boxing Championships 2026 at Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia, registering hard-fought victories against quality opposition on Monday.

In the women’s 54kg category, Preeti Pawar, gold medallist at the World Boxing Cup Finals, delivered a commanding performance to secure a 5-0 unanimous decision victory over Kazakhstan’s Elina Bazarova, a former Asian U22 champion (2025). Against a highly accomplished opponent, Preeti’s clinical win marked a strong statement to open her campaign.

Preeti painting a masterpiece

An artist by passion, Preeti Pawar, perhaps, is painting her greatest masterpiece not on canvas but inside the boxing ring. Born in Bhiwani, Haryana, on October 23, 2003, Preeti Pawar took up boxing at the age of 14 despite having little initial interest in the sport. Her uncle, Vinod – a former national-level medallist himself – was instrumental in introducing her to boxing.

Nikhat, Lovlina receive byes, Jadumani faces top seed as ABC gets underway on Monday

After convincing Preeti’s father, an officer with the Haryana Police, Vinod took Preeti under his wing and began coaching her. Hailing from Bhiwani, often called the nursery of Indian boxing, and with both parents being former athletes, Preeti found the perfect foundation to pursue her boxing dreams. Backed by her family, Preeti wasted little time making her mark. The outing in Mongolia is another testimony of the immense skill she possesses.

Deepak edges Asadullaev 3-2

In the men’s 70kg category, Deepak, silver medallist at the Boxam Elite International 2026 and a bronze medallist at the Asian Youth Boxing Championships 2022, delivered a composed performance to edge past Uzbekistan’s Khavasbek Asadullaev with a 3-2 split decision win.

Facing an opponent from Uzbekistan, a nation widely regarded as a powerhouse in amateur boxing, Deepak showed tactical discipline and resilience to come through a closely contested bout. Pics: Olympics.com

Facing an opponent from Uzbekistan, a nation widely regarded as a powerhouse in amateur boxing, Deepak showed tactical discipline and resilience to come through a closely contested bout.

With two wins from two bouts, the Indian contingent made a perfect start to its campaign in the opening phase of the tournament.

The Asian Boxing Championships 2026 features some of the best boxing talent from across the continent, with early-round matchups often proving as challenging as the later stages due to the depth of competition.