Ahead of a busy 2026 calendar, studded with the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games, Indian boxers will look to accumulate valuable ranking points as the World Boxing Cup Finals (WBCF) begins at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Indoor Stadium here on Sunday with a depleted field due to last-minute pull-outs.
Points gathered at the year-ending event will help the boxers, who will carry 75% of this year’s accumulation to 2026, improve their rankings and get better seeding in competitions. A gold winner will gain 300 points, a silver medallist 200 and a bronze medallist 150 points.
Nevertheless, the WBCF will feature top names, including World champions Agata Kaczmarska (80kg) of Poland and Huang Hsiao Wen (54kg) and Paris Olympics medallist Wu Shih-yi of Taiwan and Italy’s World Boxing Cup gold medallist Attrattivo Salvatore, in a field of 120-plus boxers from 17 countries.
Featuring World champions Minakshi Hooda (48kg) and Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), former World champions Nikhat Zareen (51kg) and Saweety Boora (75kg), current silver medallist Nupur Sheoran (80+kg) and bronze medallist Pooja Rani (80kg), India has selected a strong women’s team.
Eight Indian women – including Pooja (who entered the final with a bye) and Parveen Hooda (who is making a comeback in 60kg after serving a suspension for a whereabouts failure) – are starting from medal rounds. Minakshi (48kg) and Preeti Pawar (54kg) begin their campaign from quarterfinals.
“After the 2023 World championships, I want to make my first home international tournament memorable,” said Nikhat.
Tokyo Olympics bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain opted to skip the event to protect her nose following some treatment.
Among men, Sachin Siwach (60kg), Abinash Jamwal (65kg) and Jugnoo (85kg) have been assured of medals as they begin from the semifinals. Working on his movement and jabs, Asian Games medallist Narender Berwal (90+kg) would like to test himself.