Three Indian boxers, Ankush Panghal, Parveen Hooda, and Narender Berwal, reached the semi-finals at the Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on 27 September 2026. A semi-final berth in boxing guarantees at least a bronze medal because both losing semi-finalists receive bronze medals.
Asian Games Boxing Format
Boxing at the Asian Games follows a knockout format in which quarter-final winners advance to the semi-finals. In this format, a boxer who reaches the semi-finals secures a podium finish without contesting a bronze-medal bout.
Indian Results in the Quarter-Finals
Ankush Panghal won the men’s 80kg quarter-final against Tajikistan’s Nekruz Salimov by a 5-0 unanimous decision. Parveen Hooda defeated Uzbekistan’s Navbakhor Khamidova by the same 5-0 margin in the women’s 65kg category. Narender Berwal won his men’s +90kg quarter-final against Thailand’s Adthapong Saengtep by Referee Stops Contest, or RSC, in under two minutes.
Boxing Decisions and Terminology
A unanimous decision in boxing means all judges score the bout for one boxer. Referee Stops Contest, or RSC, is used when the referee ends a bout before the final bell for safety or clear dominance. The men’s 80kg, women’s 65kg, and men’s +90kg divisions are weight categories used in international amateur boxing.
Important Facts for Exams
- Asian Games boxing awards two bronze medals in each weight category.
- Knockout tournaments in boxing do not include a bronze-medal match at the Asian Games.
- Parveen Hooda won against a world championships silver medallist in the quarter-finals.
- Narender Berwal secured his second consecutive Asian Games medal.
Other Indian Bouts
Sachin Siwach exited the men’s 60kg competition after a 0-5 quarter-final loss to Japan’s Shunsuke Kitamoto on 27 September 2026. Ankush Panghal had earlier won the first two rounds unanimously in his quarter-final bout.
