Ulaanbaatar [Mongolia], March 30 (ANI): India's Preeti Pawar and Deepak made an impressive start at the Asian Boxing Championships 2026 in Mongolia, registering hard-fought victories against quality opposition on Monday.
In the women's 54kg category, Preeti Pawar, gold medallist at the World Boxing Cup Finals, delivered a commanding performance to secure a 5-0 unanimous decision victory over Kazakhstan's Elina Bazarova, a former Asian U22 champion (2025), according to a BFI release.
Against a highly accomplished opponent, Preeti's clinical win marked a strong statement to open her campaign.
In the men's 70kg category, Deepak, silver medallist at the Boxam Elite International 2026 and a bronze medallist at the Asian Youth Boxing Championships 2022, delivered a composed performance to edge past Uzbekistan's Khavasbek Asadullaev with a 3-2 split decision win.
Facing an opponent from Uzbekistan, a nation widely regarded as a powerhouse in amateur boxing, Deepak showed tactical discipline and resilience to come through a closely contested bout.
With two wins from two bouts, the Indian contingent made a perfect start to its campaign in the opening phase of the tournament.
The Asian Boxing Championships 2026 features some of the best boxing talent from across the continent, with early-round matchups often proving as challenging as the later stages due to the depth of competition. (ANI)