National champion Sachin Siwach (57kg) had an impressive start for India at the 2nd Boxing World Qualifiers for the Paris 2024 Olympics, defeating New Zealand’s Alex Mukuka. Siwach, a gold medalist at the Strandja Memorial, took command from the start, winning 5-0 and setting a great tone for India’s ten-member squad. Siwach used an aggressive offensive approach throughout the fight, leaving Mukuka with little room to manoeuvre.
With the first two rounds firmly in his favour, Siwach left no room for a comeback, effectively sealing the victory. India has sent seven men and three women to compete for a ticket to the Paris Olympics, with a semi-final finish being the minimum criteria.
Abhimanyu Loura is set to compete against Bulgaria’s Kristiyan Nikolov in the 80kg division, while Amit Panghal (51kg) and Narendra Berwal (+92kg) won byes in the first round. The Indian squad is eager to redeem itself after a dismal performance in the previous qualifiers, where only Nishant Dev advanced past the first round.
Notably, Nikhat Zareen (50kg), Preeti Pawar (54kg), and Lovlina Borgohain (75kg) have already clinched their tickets in Paris via the Asian Games, strengthening India’s boxing medal goals.
