Bangkok: Indian boxers Neeraj (men’s 75kg), Ishan Kataria (men’s 90+kg), Yatri Patel (women’s 57kg), and Priya (women’s 60kg) delivered impressive performances to storm into the finals of their respective categories at the U22 Asian Boxing Championships 2025, being held in Bangkok, Thailand, on Wednesday.
According to a statement from the Boxing Federation of India (BFI), Neeraj became the first Indian to book a spot in the final, outclassing South Korea’s Kyeongho Bang with a commanding 5:0 victory. Utilizing his speed and sharp counterattacks, Neeraj cruised through the bout with confidence.
Soon after, Ishan Kataria joined him in the finals. Relying on his imposing frame and powerful punches, Ishan dominated China’s Chen Chen, prompting the referee to stop the contest in the third round as the Chinese boxer struggled to defend himself.
In the women’s competition, Yatri Patel was the first Indian to advance to the final. She displayed excellent technique, landing crisp left-right combinations to secure a 5:0 unanimous decision over Vietnam’s Thi Nhung Quand in the 57kg semifinal. Moments later, Priya followed suit with a strong showing against Uzbekistan’s Odinakhon Ismoilova, overpowering her opponent to seal a place in the 60kg final.
The U19 and U22 Asian Boxing Championships are being held concurrently, offering a vital platform for India’s young boxing talents to prove themselves against some of Asia’s finest. India has sent a 40-member squad — 20 boxers in each age category — comprising a blend of seasoned performers and promising newcomers from the domestic circuit.
Among the four other Indian semifinalists competing in the morning session, Rockey Chaudhary faced misfortune as the referee halted his bout in the second round due to cuts over both eyebrows, suffered during his contest against Iran’s Sam Estaki.
In tightly contested bouts, Harsh (men’s 60kg) and Mayur (men’s 90kg) lost via split decisions. Harsh went down 1:4 to Uzbekistan’s Shohruh Abdumalikov, while Mayur was edged out by Shakhzod Polvonov, also from Uzbekistan. Ankush, competing in the same session, was defeated 0:5 by Kazakhstan’s Sanzhar-Ali Begaliyev. Despite the losses, all four boxers secured bronze medals.
In the evening session, Bhawna Sharma, competing in the women’s 48kg category, couldn’t replicate her quarterfinal success and suffered a 1:4 loss to Uzbekistan’s Robiyakhon Bakhtiyorova.
Meanwhile, Parthavi Grewal (women’s 60kg), Parnjal Yadav (women’s 65kg), and Shruti (women’s 75kg) also ended their campaigns with bronze medals after falling short in their respective semifinals.
