Women boxers led from the front as Olympian Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), Sakshi (54kg) and Nupur (80+kg) won gold in their respective weight classes to help India finish with 11 medals at the World Boxing Cup Kazakhstan 2025 in Astana on Sunday.
The Indian boxing contingent’s tally from the Astana meet comprised three gold, five silver and three bronze.
Two-time youth world champion Sakshi was at her best against USA’s Yoseline Perez to get a unanimous verdict from the judges in the women’s 54kg final. It was India’s first gold medal from the Astana boxing meet.
Paris 2024 Olympian Jaismine Lamboria kept her cool under pressure to get the better of two-time Olympian Jucielen Romeu of Brazil 4-1 in the women’s 57kg weight category. The Indian boxer used her long reach to good effect in the third round after a close opening two rounds.
Nupur, meanwhile, overcame the challenge of local boxer Yeldana Talipova to earn a 5-0 verdict in the 80+kg final.
Earlier, Meenakshi pushed hard for victory against local favourite Nazym Kyzaibay, an Olympic bronze medallist, in the 48kg final but ended on the wrong side of a 3-2 verdict.
Jugnoo (men’s 85kg), Olympian Pooja Rani (women’s 80kg), Hitesh Gulia (men’s 70kg) and Abhinash Jamwal (men’s 65kg) also returned home with silver medals after losing their respective finals.
Jugnoo lost 5-0 to Bekzad Nurdauletov of Kazakhstan while Pooja went down by an identical scoreline to Australia’s Eseta Flint.
In the evening session, Hitesh lost 5-0 against Brazil’s Kaian Oliveira and Jamwal suffered a 3-2 split decision defeat against Yuri Falcao.
Meanwhile, Sanju (women’s 60kg), Nikhil Dubey (men’s 75kg) and Narender Berwal (men’s 90+kg) bagged a bronze medal each, having made it all the way to the semi-finals.
Indian pugilists had won six medals at the previous World Boxing Cup leg held in Brazil back in April. The Indian women did not compete in Brazil on account of the national championships.
Boxers accumulate ranking points through their performances at these two meets, with the top pugilists qualifying for the World Boxing Cup Finals to be hosted at New Delhi, India, in November.
Over 400 boxers from 31 countries, including Olympians, competed at the Kazakhstan leg. India had sent a 20-member team for the Astana meet.
World Boxing Cup Kazakhstan 2025: Indian medal winners
- Sakshi (women’s 54kg) – gold medal
- Jaismine Lamboria (women’s 57kg) – gold medal
- Nupur (women’s 80+ kg) – gold medal
- Meenakshi (women’s 48kg) – silver medal
- Pooja Rani (women’s 80kg) – silver medal
- Abhinash Jamwal (men’s 65kg) – silver medal
- Hitesh Gulia (men’s 70kg) – silver medal
- Jugnoo (men’s 85kg) – silver medal
- Sanju (women’s 60kg) – bronze medal
- Nikhil Dubey (men’s 75kg) – bronze medal
- Narender Berwal (men’s 90+ kg) – bronze medal