A boxing coach associated with a private club at Bengaluru’s Kanteerava Stadium has been booked under the POCSO Act after a 17-year-old boxer accused him of sexual harassment and criminal intimidation.
World Boxing Cup Finals champions Hitesh Gulia (70kg) and Preeti (54kg) led the charge for India, both registering emphatic victories as the hosts tasted success across multiple weight categories.
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.
The agreement marks the beginning of a strategic and long-term collaboration aimed at strengthening sports research, scientific training, athlete well-being, and advanced coaching methodologies.
After a landmark World Championships in 2023, this marks India’s first major international boxing tournament on home soil, signalling the country’s renewed presence on the global stage.
The competition will see male and female contenders across ten weight categories vie for top honours in Olympic-style boxing.
Asian U-22 champion S. Vishwanath set the tone with a commanding 5:0 victory over Ashish of Haryana in the 50kg category
Selections were based on performances at the 6th U-17 Junior Boys & Girls National Boxing Championship 2025, where gold medallists earned direct entry into the squad, while silver medallists were named as reserves in their respective categories.
However, the Indian stepped up her attack in the third and final round and also kept her opponent at bay to reach the semifinals.
India has fielded a 20-member contingent at the inaugural World Championships being held under the aegis of the World Boxing, a recently-formed international governing body for boxing.
