Deepak and Poonam Shine as India Opens World Boxing Cup Campaign in China with Dominant Wins

India’s campaign at the Boxing World Cup Stage 2 in China got off to a mixed start as Deepak and Poonam delivered impressive victories to advance to the next round, while seven other Indian boxers bowed out after difficult contests against strong international opposition.

The opening day saw India field competitors across multiple weight categories, but only Deepak in the men’s 70kg division and Poonam in the women’s 54kg category managed to progress. Both produced dominant unanimous-decision victories, showcasing the technical quality and composure that Indian boxing fans will hope to see throughout the tournament.

Despite several setbacks elsewhere, the performances of Deepak and Poonam ensured India maintained a presence in the competition as the event moves into its next phase.

Competing in the women’s 54kg preliminary round of 32, Poonam delivered one of India’s standout performances of the day by defeating Aziza Yokubova of Uzbekistan by a unanimous 5-0 decision.

From the opening bell, the Indian boxer controlled the pace of the bout with disciplined footwork and accurate punching combinations. Her ability to dictate exchanges prevented her Uzbek opponent from establishing any sustained momentum, allowing Poonam to secure a comfortable victory on all five judges’ scorecards.

The convincing nature of the win will provide confidence as she prepares for tougher challenges in the later rounds of the competition.

Joining Poonam in the next stage was Deepak, who produced an equally commanding display in the men’s 70kg category. Facing Bayramdurdy Nurmuhammedov of Turkmenistan in the preliminary round of 32, Deepak boxed with maturity and tactical discipline to register another unanimous 5-0 victory.

His clean punching and defensive awareness consistently frustrated his opponent, enabling him to control the contest across all three rounds. The result underlined India’s strength in the middleweight divisions and positioned Deepak as one of the nation’s remaining hopes in the tournament.

Among the closest contests involving Indian athletes was Anmol’s bout in the men’s 60kg division. Taking on Salim Ellis Bey of the United States, Anmol fought a competitive encounter that went the distance before ultimately losing by a narrow 2-3 split decision.

The close scoreline reflected the evenly matched nature of the contest, with only marginal differences separating the two boxers in the judges’ assessments. Despite the defeat, Anmol’s performance demonstrated his ability to compete against high-calibre international opponents.

India also endured unfortunate circumstances in the men’s 90kg category, where Harsh Choudhary was forced to concede after suffering an injury during his contest against Sweden’s Elwin Belezika. The bout was halted in the third round with the referee awarding victory to Belezika through Referee Stops Contest due to Injury (RSC-I).

The premature conclusion brought an unfortunate end to Harsh’s campaign, denying him the opportunity to complete the contest on his own terms. Several other Indian boxers faced highly accomplished opponents and were unable to advance. In the women’s 75kg category, Sanamacha Chanu Thokchom lost by unanimous decision to Canada’s Tammara Thibeault, one of the most experienced competitors in international women’s boxing.

Similarly, Rishi Singh exited the tournament after a 0-5 defeat to Azerbaijan’s Subhan Mamedov in the men’s 50kg division. Sawan Gill also bowed out in the men’s 90kg category, suffering a unanimous decision loss to Norway’s Omar Shiha.

India’s disappointment extended into the quarterfinal stage as two female boxers narrowly missed opportunities to progress further. In the women’s 80kg division, Naina faced home favourite Xiaomeng Wang of China but was unable to overcome the local boxer, losing 0-5 on the judges’ scorecards.

Meanwhile, Alfiya Tarannum Akram Khan Pathan was defeated by Poland’s Elzbieta Wojcik in the women’s 90+kg category, also by a unanimous 0-5 verdict. Both boxers displayed determination throughout their bouts but ultimately found themselves second best against experienced opposition.

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The opening-day results underline the increasingly competitive nature of international boxing. While Deepak and Poonam demonstrated India’s ability to produce dominant performances, the defeats suffered by several teammates highlight the depth of quality present at the Boxing World Cup, where even early-round matchups feature world-class opponents.

Split-decision losses and closely contested bouts suggest that margins at this level remain extremely fine, with tactical execution and consistency often proving decisive.

With seven Indian boxers eliminated, attention now turns firmly to Deepak and Poonam as they continue the nation’s challenge in China. Both have begun their campaigns in emphatic fashion and will hope to build on their opening victories as the level of competition intensifies in the later rounds.

Strong performances from the duo could provide a much-needed boost for Indian boxing and reinforce the country’s growing reputation on the international circuit.

Although the first day produced mixed fortunes, the tournament is far from over. With Deepak and Poonam advancing confidently and displaying excellent form, India still has reason to believe that its Boxing World Cup campaign can deliver memorable moments and potentially podium finishes in the days ahead.