Priya Takes Bronze as Lovlina Reaches Final, Kapil Also Finishes With a Medal at Asian Games 2026

India's boxing campaign at the Asian Games 2026 produced a contrasting set of results on Wednesday, with Priya Ghanghas and Kapil Pokhariya ending their campaigns with bronze medals, while Lovlina Borgohain fought through a closely contested semifinal to reach the women's 75kg gold-medal bout.

Priya was beaten 1-4 by China's Yang Chengyu in the women's 60kg semifinal, while Kapil suffered the same scoreline against Uzbekistan's Turabek Khabibullaev in the men's 90kg semifinal.

Lovlina, meanwhile, recovered from losing the opening round to Kazakhstan's Natalya Bogdanova and won the semifinal by a 3-2 split decision at Nishio Gymnasium. The three bouts reflected three different ways of navigating the semifinal stage: Priya's attacking approach was countered by Yang's composure, Kapil struggled to overturn an early deficit against Khabibullaev, while Lovlina managed the most important adjustment of the day to turn her contest around.

Priya Ghanghas entered the women's 60kg semifinal against China's Yang Chengyu after winning gold at the recent Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Yang, meanwhile, was a bronze medallist at the 2025 World Championships.

The Indian started aggressively and looked to score through combinations and counter-attacks. Priya's activity made the opening round competitive, with her combinations producing some of the more effective exchanges. However, Yang remained composed and finished strongly enough to take the round 3-2 on the judges' cards.

That narrow first-round decision left Priya needing to build momentum. She again started the second round with attacking intent, but Yang's defensive work became increasingly important. The Chinese boxer stayed close to Priya, limiting the effectiveness of several attacks and responding with cleaner punches.

Yang took the second round 4-1, leaving Priya facing a significant deficit heading into the final round. The Indian continued to press forward, but Yang maintained her composure and landed the more effective punches during the exchanges. The semifinal ultimately went to Yang 4-1, sending the Chinese boxer into the final and leaving Priya with the bronze medal.

For Priya, the result ended a campaign that nevertheless delivered an Asian Games podium finish.

Lovlina's semifinal against Natalya Bogdanova followed a completely different script. The opening round was cautious, with both boxers taking time to establish their rhythm. Bogdanova increased her activity as the round progressed, while Lovlina was unable to generate enough scoring punches.

The judges gave the opening round to the Kazakh boxer 3-2. Lovlina needed a response, and she found one immediately in the second round. The Indian increased her attacking intent, landing stronger punches and becoming more assertive in the exchanges. Bogdanova attempted to answer with combinations of her own, but Lovlina's cleaner work earned her a decisive 5-0 round.

The semifinal was level heading into the final round. That final three minutes became a tactical battle. Lovlina remained composed and focused increasingly on defence, while Bogdanova pushed forward in search of the decisive moments she needed.

The Kazakh boxer produced a strong finish, but Lovlina managed the exchanges and prevented Bogdanova from landing the kind of clean, significant punches that could have changed the judges' decision. The verdict was 3-2 in Lovlina's favour.

After losing the opening round, the Indian had won the second and done enough in the third to secure her place in the gold-medal bout. Lovlina will now fight for the Asian Games women's 75kg gold.

Kapil Pokhariya's men's 90kg semifinal against Uzbekistan's Turabek Khabibullaev also ended in a 4-1 defeat, although the scoring pattern showed how difficult the comeback became. Kapil started the contest with attacking combinations and looked to land quick punches. Khabibullaev, however, controlled the first round and received a 5-0 decision from the judges. Kapil improved in the second round and found greater success with his combinations, but Khabibullaev continued to control enough of the exchanges to take the round 4-1.

With the Uzbek boxer holding the advantage, Kapil needed a major turnaround in the final round. He continued to fight for the opening, but Khabibullaev maintained control and secured another 4-1 round. The final judges' scores were 30-27, 30-27, 30-27, 30-27 and 28-29, giving Khabibullaev a 4-1 split-decision victory.

Kapil therefore finished his Asian Games campaign with a bronze medal.

Three Indian Medals, One Finalist

Wednesday's boxing programme ultimately produced three significant outcomes for India. Priya Ghanghas and Kapil Pokhariya secured bronze medals, while Lovlina Borgohain advanced to the gold-medal bout. The day also underlined how quickly a boxing semifinal can turn on small scoring margins. Priya's attacking approach was not enough to overcome Yang's cleaner exchanges, while Kapil was unable to recover from an early deficit against Khabibullaev.

Lovlina faced the same problem after losing the opening round, but her response was different. A 5-0 second round and a controlled final round gave her the split decision and another opportunity to fight for Asian Games gold. India's boxing campaign will therefore continue with Lovlina, alongside the other Indian finalists already through to the gold-medal bouts.

For Priya and Kapil, the journey ends on the podium.

For Lovlina, there is one more fight left.