Two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen, World Boxing Cup Finals 2025 gold medallist Pawan Bartwal and Sumit delivered dominant performances as most of the top contenders progressed comfortably to the quarterfinals of their respective weight categories at the Elite Men and Women National Boxing Championships at Gautam Buddha University, Greater Noida, on Wednesday.
The championships are being staged with the men’s and women’s events running simultaneously at the same venue for the first time, with around 600 boxers from across the country competing in 10 weight categories each for men and women.
In the women’s 48–51kg category, Nikhat was in complete control against Ladakh’s Kulsooma Bano, forcing a referee stoppage in the opening round. In the men’s draw, Pawan Bartwal (50–55kg) defeated Lalit, while Sumit (70–75kg) overcame Madhya Pradesh’s Kapil, with both bouts being halted in the third round due to the winners’ dominance.
Earlier, reigning world champion Minakshi (45–48kg) continued her impressive run with a comfortable 5-0 victory over Jharkhand’s Annu. In the men’s 50-55kg category, Jadumani Singh registered a convincing 5-0 win against Uttar Pradesh’s Manish Rathore, while 2022 Commonwealth Games gold medallist Amit Panghal edged past Chandigarh’s Krrish Pal by a 4-1 decision.
Action on Tuesday also saw several leading names advance. World Championship bronze medallist Pooja Rani and India international Jadumani Singh posted emphatic wins, though Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain and seasoned campaigner Amit Panghal were tested before moving into the next round.
Pooja (75–80kg) of Haryana outclassed Anju of Chandigarh 5–0, while Jadumani (50–55kg) was so dominant against R Parthiban of Tamil Nadu that the referee stopped the contest in the second round. Lovlina, however, had to dig deep as Saweety pushed her before the Assam boxer prevailed 3–2 in a split decision.
In the men’s section, Amit Panghal, representing SSCB, also faced a tough challenge, narrowly defeating Haryana’s Priyanshu 3–2 in another split verdict to seal his place in the quarterfinals.