Ankush Panghal enters men's 80kg boxing final
Ankush Panghal secured a spot in the men's 80kg boxing final at the Asian Games 2026 after a thrilling semifinal victory against Uzbekistan.
In a high-octane semifinal encounter at the Asian Games 2026, Indian boxer Ankush Panghal displayed immense grit and resilience to secure his place in the men's 80kg gold-medal bout. Facing off against Uzbekistan's Fazliddin Erkinboev in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, Panghal overcame a rocky start to emerge victorious in a hard-fought contest.
A rollercoaster semifinal battle
The match began with Panghal showing significant aggression in the blue corner. He engaged the Uzbek southpaw immediately, utilizing quick combinations and effective body shots to test his opponent. However, despite his offensive pressure, the judges' scorecards told a different story in the opening frame, awarding the round to Erkinboev with a 1-4 score.
Refusing to let the early setback derail his performance, Panghal stepped up his intensity in the second round. He matched the speed of the Uzbek fighter and utilized precise counter-punching to tilt the momentum back in his favor, winning the round 3-2.
The third and final round saw Panghal at his absolute best. He dominated the ring, controlling the exchanges and leaving his opponent with little room to breathe. This decisive performance earned him a 5-0 score for the round, resulting in a 4-1 overall victory to seal his advancement to the finals.
The road to Gold: What's next?
Panghal's journey to the top of the podium now rests on his upcoming showdown against South Korea's Kim Min-Seong. Kim secured his spot in the final after defeating Jordan's Hussein Iashaish in the parallel semifinal.
Indian boxing shines in Aichi-Nagoya
Panghal's success was part of a stellar day for Indian boxing. Earlier in the day, Parveen Hooda also booked her ticket to the gold-medal match in the women's 65kg category. Hooda delivered a clinical performance against China's Li Shu, winning by a unanimous 5-0 decision. She is set to face Chen Nien-chin of Chinese Taipei in the final.
The momentum continues for the Indian squad, with one more men's boxing semifinal on the horizon. Narender is scheduled to face Kazakhstan's Aibek Oralbay in the +90kg category.
Other notable Indian performances
Day 10 of the Asian Games saw several other Indian athletes making their mark:
- Shooting: Neeru Dhanda clinched the gold medal in the women's individual trap event. She had previously contributed to a silver medal in the women's trap team event alongside Aashima Ahlawat and Manisha Keer.
- Archery: Dhiraj Bommadevara and Neeraj Chauhan both advanced to the men's recurve individual quarterfinals. Dhiraj defeated Cheng Hsiang-Hui (6-2), while Neeraj overcame South Korea's Kim Je-deok (6-4). Both archers will return to competition on October 3.