14 Indian junior boxers storm into finals at Belt and Road Youth Boxing Gala in China

Xinjiang, Aug 29 (IANS) Fourteen Indian junior boxers stormed into their respective finals at the 3rd 'Belt and Road' International Youth Boxing Gala – U17/U19/U23 International Training Camp & Tournament in Xinjiang, China, continuing a trend of fine performances in continental age-group competitions.

Taking on strong opponents from Kazakhstan, Iran, Korea, Uzbekistan, the Philippines and China, 10 girls and four boys delivered impressive performances, assuring India of multiple silver medals and a strong shot at gold.

India have sent a 58-member contingent comprising 20 boys and 20 girls, supported by 12 coaches, five support staff and one Referee & Judge. Only U-17 boys and girls are representing India at this edition. The team was selected from the 6th U-17 Junior Boys & Girls National Boxing Championships 2025, with medallists across Asian Youth Games and Non-Asian Youth Games weight categories earning a place.

Among the boys, standout wins came from Dhruv Kharb (46kg), Falak (48kg), Piyush (50kg), and Udham Singh Raghav (54kg), who overcame tough opponents from China, Korea, and Iran to reach the finals. Aditya (52kg) and Ashish (54kg) fought brilliantly against Kazakhstan but bowed out after narrow decisions, while Uday Singh, Devendra Chaudhary, Jaideep Singh Hanjra, and Loven Gulia ended their campaigns despite spirited efforts.

The junior girls also delivered a dominant day in the ring. Laxmi (46kg), Khushi (46kg), Radhamani (60kg), Chandrika (54kg), Jyoti (75kg), and Anushka (+80kg) secured wins against boxers from China and the Philippines, while Chahat (60kg), Himanshi (66kg), Harnoor (66kg), and Anshika (+80kg) triumphed in all-India clashes. Bhakti (50kg) and Shivani (75kg) exited after close contests with China.

The Indian camp remains upbeat with strong medal assurance from both boys and girls as the tournament enters its final stage. The competition phase of the tournament continues till August 29 in Urumqi and Yili, where India’s junior boxers will look to build on this momentum and showcase their rising talent on the international stage.

--IANS

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