Minakshi, Preeti, Ankush Phangal and Narender secure medals in World Boxing Cup Finals

India made a strong start at the World Boxing Cup Finals in Greater Noida as Minakshi, Preeti, Ankush Phangal and Narender Berwal secured medals with dominant wins on Day 1, guaranteeing podium finishes by entering the semifinals

Hyderabad: World Champion Minakshi, Preeti, Ankush Phangal and Narender Berwal powered India to a flawless opening as all four secured medals with dominant wins on Day 1 of the World Boxing Cup Finals in Greater Noida on Sunday.

With the tournament restricted to only the world’s eight top boxers in each category, the Indian quartet swept through the opening round to enter the semis, guaranteeing podium finishes at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex.

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In a field reserved exclusively for world-level contenders, every bout demanded precision and composure, and the Indians rose to the occasion with clinical authority. World Championships Liverpool 2025 gold medalist Minakshi (48kg) set the tone early, dictating a high-tempo bout against Kazakhstan’s Bolat Akbota from the first bell with clean and accurate punching. Preeti (54kg) followed with an equally electrifying display, using quick feet and sharp combinations to overwhelm Uzbekistan’s former Youth World Champion Nigina Uktamova in a fully attacking performance.

Later in the day, Ankush Phangal (80kg) produced one of the day’s most composed performances, soaking up early pressure before shifting gears with clever combination play. Finding openings with precision, he landed telling blows to keep Japan’s Go Wakaya at bay en route to a unanimous win. In the 90+kg division, Narender Berwal delivered a gritty, authoritative performance, pushing through a cut above his eye with disciplined defence and powerful body-head combinations to secure a strong 4:1 victory over Ukraine’s Andrii Khaletskyi.