CWG 2026: Sachin Siwach Advances to Round of 16 After Hard-Fought Win Over Canada's Keoma Al-Ahmadieh

Indian boxer Sachin Siwach made a winning start to his Commonwealth Games 2026 campaign, defeating Canada's Keoma Al-Ahmadieh by a 4-1 split decision in the men's 60kg Round of 32 on Saturday. 

In a closely contested bout that demanded both technical discipline and tactical maturity, the reigning Indian national champion did enough to convince four of the five judges and book his place in the Round of 16.

The victory sets up a challenging pre-quarterfinal clash against England's William Hewitt on Monday at 4:45 PM IST, with a place in the quarterfinals and a step closer to the medals at stake. While the scoreline suggests a comfortable result, the bout was anything but straightforward. Both boxers traded punches throughout the three rounds, with Sachin gradually asserting control through his superior ringcraft and consistency.

The contest began at a high tempo, with both fighters showing intent from the opening bell. Canada's Keoma Al-Ahmadieh looked to establish his range early, using his jab effectively while attempting to keep the Indian at distance. Sachin, however, responded with intelligent movement, stepping inside to land combinations whenever opportunities presented themselves.

Neither boxer was able to dominate the exchanges. Instead, the opening three minutes developed into a tactical contest where every clean punch carried significance. The judges reflected just how competitive the round had been. Three judges scored the round 10-9 in favour of Sachin, while the remaining two awarded it 10-9 to the Canadian.

Although the Indian emerged with a slight advantage, the split verdict made it clear that the contest remained wide open heading into the second round.

If the first round was evenly balanced, the second belonged entirely to the Indian. Recognising that he needed greater authority in the contest, Sachin increased both his work rate and accuracy. His combinations became sharper, and he consistently found openings around the Canadian's guard.

Rather than engaging in unnecessary exchanges, Sachin boxed with patience, choosing the right moments to attack while maintaining a disciplined defensive structure. The tactical adjustment paid immediate dividends. At the end of the round, all five judges unanimously awarded the session 10-9 to Sachin, making it the clearest round of the contest.

After two rounds, three judges had the Indian leading 20-18, while the other two officials scored the bout 19-19, indicating that the fight was still within reach for Al-Ahmadieh but that Sachin now held the overall advantage.

The unanimous verdict in the second round proved to be the decisive phase of the contest.

Knowing he needed a big finish, Al-Ahmadieh came out aggressively in the third and final round. The Canadian increased the tempo, throwing combinations with greater urgency while attempting to force Sachin onto the back foot. It was arguably his strongest spell of the bout.

Sachin, however, remained composed. Rather than abandoning his game plan, the Indian relied on his footwork and defensive awareness to minimise the damage while continuing to land scoring punches of his own. Although the Canadian edged the final round in the eyes of most judges, Sachin had already built enough of a lead during the opening two rounds. Three judges scored the final round 10-9 for Al-Ahmadieh, while the remaining two gave it to the Indian.

When the final scores were announced, four judges had Sachin winning the bout with scorecards of 29-28, 30-27, 29-28 and 29-28, while one judge favoured the Canadian 29-28.

The result confirmed a 4-1 split-decision victory for the Indian boxer.

The performance highlighted one of Sachin's greatest strengths: his ability to remain calm under pressure. After an evenly matched opening round, many young boxers might have been tempted to chase the contest recklessly. Instead, Sachin trusted his technique. His second-round display demonstrated excellent tactical awareness, as he carefully controlled the distance, landed cleaner punches and prevented the Canadian from establishing sustained momentum.

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Even when Al-Ahmadieh mounted a late comeback in the final round, Sachin showed enough maturity to manage the contest without taking unnecessary risks.

That composure ultimately proved decisive.

Advancing to the Round of 16 is an important first step, but Sachin now faces a significantly tougher assignment. Standing between the Indian and a place in the quarterfinals is England's William Hewitt, who will enjoy strong home support when the two meet on Monday. The winner of that contest will move into the last eight, bringing them within touching distance of a Commonwealth Games medal. Given England's proud boxing tradition, Hewitt is expected to provide one of Sachin's sternest tests in the tournament.

However, Saturday's performance demonstrated that the Indian possesses both the technical ability and mental resilience required to compete at this level.

India has traditionally enjoyed considerable success in boxing at the Commonwealth Games, regularly returning home with multiple medals. Sachin Siwach's victory provides another encouraging start for the country's campaign in Glasgow. More importantly, the bout showcased his growing maturity as an international competitor.

Winning closely contested contests is often what separates elite boxers from the rest, and Sachin displayed exactly those qualities against Al-Ahmadieh. He absorbed pressure, adapted tactically after a competitive opening round and maintained his composure despite the Canadian's late surge. Those attributes will become even more valuable as the tournament progresses and the quality of opposition continues to rise.

With William Hewitt awaiting in the round of 16, Sachin now has an opportunity to move another step closer to the podium. If he can reproduce the disciplined, intelligent boxing that earned him victory over the Canadian, the Indian youngster will have every reason to believe that a deep run at the Commonwealth Games is well within reach.