Parveen Hooda Completes Redemption Story with Asian Games 65kg Gold

Parveen Hooda has completed one of the most remarkable comebacks in Indian boxing with an Asian Games gold medal.

The Indian defeated Chinese Taipei’s former world champion Chen Nien-chin 3-2 in a tense women’s 65kg final, recovering from a lost second round before three judges backed her in the decisive third. It was a final in which neither boxer managed to establish complete control. Parveen won the opening round on all five judges' cards, Chen responded with a unanimous second-round victory, and the championship was ultimately decided by the final three minutes.

When the verdict was announced, Parveen had done enough.

Gold for India.

Parveen began cautiously, relying on her reach and refusing to give Chen easy opportunities to close the distance. The Chinese Taipei boxer attempted to initiate exchanges with her jab, but Parveen repeatedly looked to counter rather than engage in unnecessary exchanges. Her straight punches found their target, while she also landed useful shots to the body.

The referee briefly intervened to encourage closer engagement, after which the pace increased. Chen managed to connect with a fast right hook, but Parveen continued to find the cleaner scoring opportunities. Her movement around the ring was another important element of the opening round, allowing her to avoid sustained exchanges while creating opportunities for counters. The judges were unanimous.

Parveen won the opening round 10-9 on all five cards, giving her an early 5-0 lead on the round-by-round scoring. It was exactly the start the Indian needed against an opponent with Chen's pedigree.

Chen Responds in the Second

The second round produced a very different contest. Chen increased her activity and began finding Parveen more frequently with quick one-two combinations. Parveen continued attempting to control the distance, but the Chinese Taipei boxer was now getting closer and landing more consistently.

Parveen still found moments with her jab and body punches, but Chen's increased pressure changed the rhythm. The Indian appeared more cautious as the round progressed, while Chen began to dictate more of the exchanges. This time there was no split among the judges. All five scored the round 10-9 for Chen.

The overall score was therefore level after two rounds. With the gold medal now effectively reduced to three decisive minutes, both boxers entered the final round knowing there was no margin for an inactive performance.

Chen came out aggressively. The Chinese Taipei boxer immediately looked to put Parveen under pressure, landing a couple of jabs directly to the Indian's head. Parveen appeared momentarily unsettled and moved away from the exchanges. But she did not abandon the strategy that had brought her success in the opening round.

Parveen began using quick one-two combinations and continued moving laterally rather than standing in front of Chen. Her counter-punching became increasingly important as Chen tried to force the tempo. The round remained extremely difficult to call. Chen continued pressing, while Parveen looked to score cleanly and then move out of range. Neither boxer was able to completely dominate the exchanges, leaving the judges with a difficult decision.

As the final seconds approached, Chen continued searching for the punches that could swing the contest.

Parveen relied increasingly on counters. Then came the verdict. Three judges awarded the decisive round to Parveen.

Two backed Chen. That was enough.

Parveen Hooda won the final 3-2 on split decision.

From Disappointment to Asian Games Gold

The medal carries significance well beyond the result inside the ring. Parveen had won a bronze medal at the Hangzhou Asian Games, but that medal was subsequently stripped following a suspension for whereabouts failures. The episode also derailed her Olympic hopes. Her return to the Asian Games stage therefore carried an additional layer of pressure.

This time, she went all the way. The route to the final had already demonstrated the improvement in her tactical approach. She defeated Uzbekistan's Navbakhor Khamidova 5-0 in the quarterfinal and then produced another unanimous victory against China's Li Shu in the semifinal.

The final was considerably more difficult. Chen brought the experience of a former world champion and Paris Olympic bronze medallist, and after losing the opening round she responded strongly enough to level the contest after two.

Parveen's ability to remain composed in the deciding round ultimately made the difference.

Parveen's victory followed Lovlina Borgohain's gold medal in the women's 75kg division earlier in the day, giving Indian boxing another championship victory at the Asian Games. But Parveen's medal has its own distinctive story. There was no runaway victory. No dominant scoreline. Instead, there was a close final against an elite opponent, a lost second round and a decisive response when everything depended on the final three minutes.

At the end, there was also a memorable sporting moment between the two finalists. Chen, who has battled cancer and returned to elite competition, embraced Parveen and lifted the Indian boxer in celebration after the verdict. For Parveen, however, the moment belonged to her.

The Hangzhou medal is gone from the record. The disappointment of the suspension remains part of her career story. But on October 2, 2026, Parveen Hooda added something that cannot be taken away by a split decision or a difficult chapter: Asian Games gold.

A 3-2 victory over a former world champion. A championship won in the final round. And a comeback completed on the biggest stage in Asian boxing.