Ankush Panghal stormed into the men’s 80kg boxing final at the Asian Games 2026 with a stunning 4-1 split-decision victory over Uzbekistan’s reigning 75kg world champion Fazliddin Erkinboev in Nagoya on September 29.

Panghal made a dramatic comeback against the current world champion to reach the gold medal bout.

In the women’s draw, Parveen Hooda advanced to the 65kg final with a commanding 5-0 unanimous decision over China’s Li Shu. She is only the third Indian female boxer to reach an Asian Games final, after Mary Kom, who won gold in 2014, and Lovlina Borgohain, who took silver in the previous edition.

Narender Berwal had to settle for a bronze medal in the men’s 90kg-plus category after losing 5-0 to reigning heavyweight world champion Aibek Oralbay of Kazakhstan. The bronze was India’s 22nd at the Games, and Berwal had also won bronze in the previous edition.

Earlier, on September 28, Priya Ghanghas and Kapil Pokhariya assured themselves of medals too, with quarterfinal wins in the women’s 60kg and men’s 90kg categories.