Aichi-Nagoya: India’s Ankush Panghal created history on Friday by winning the men’s 80kg boxing gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games, defeating South Korea’s Minseong Kim in the final.
Panghal produced a controlled performance at the Nishio Gymnasium to secure a 4-0 split-decision victory and become the first Indian male boxer to win an Asian Games gold medal since Amit Panghal’s triumph at the 2018 Jakarta Games.
The 21-year-old Haryana boxer controlled most of the bout and finished India’s boxing campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Games with its third gold medal of the day.
Panghal dominates 80kg final
Panghal started the final aggressively against Kim and took the opening round 4-1 on the judges’ scorecards.
He continued to dictate the pace in the second round, using combinations and counter-punches to maintain his advantage. The second round went unanimously in his favour at 5-0.
Kim attempted to respond in the final round, using movement and counter-punching to disrupt Panghal’s rhythm. However, the Indian boxer remained composed, continued finding openings and won the round 4-1.
Four of the five judges ultimately scored the contest in Panghal’s favour, while one judge had the bout level. The final result was therefore recorded as a 4-0 split decision rather than a unanimous 5-0 victory.
The result capped a strong run for Panghal, who had already guaranteed India a medal by defeating Tajikistan’s Nekruz Salimov 5-0 in the quarter-final.
Panghal beats world champion on way to final
Panghal’s route to the gold-medal bout included a major victory over Uzbekistan’s Fazliddin Erkinboev in the semi-final.
Erkinboev was the reigning 75kg world champion, making the semi-final a significant test for the Indian boxer. Panghal recovered from a difficult opening phase and eventually secured a 4-1 decision to book his place in the final.
His ability to adjust during the bout proved important. According to reports from his semi-final, Panghal changed between close- and medium-range fighting and used his left cross, right hook and uppercuts effectively.
The victory over Erkinboev ensured that Panghal would fight for the Asian Games title in the 80kg category.
Historic gold for Indian men’s boxing
Panghal’s victory is significant in the history of Indian boxing at the Asian Games.
The previous Indian male boxer to win an Asian Games gold medal was Amit Panghal, who finished on top in the men’s 52kg category at the 2018 Jakarta Games.
Ankush Panghal has now followed that achievement eight years later, becoming the latest Indian male boxer to claim a continental title.
The achievement also adds another major title to Panghal’s breakthrough year. He had won the men’s 80kg gold medal at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow earlier this year. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had congratulated him following that victory.
India completes boxing gold hat-trick
Panghal’s gold was India’s third boxing gold medal at the 2026 Asian Games.
Earlier on Friday, Lovlina Borgohain won gold in the women’s 75kg category after defeating China’s Ziyi Bao 5-0. The victory came on Lovlina’s 29th birthday and upgraded the silver medal she had won at the previous Asian Games.
Parveen Hooda then defeated Chinese Taipei’s Chen Nien-chin 3-2 in a split decision to win the women’s 65kg gold medal.
The three victories gave India a boxing gold-medal hat-trick on the same day, marking one of the strongest single-day performances by the country’s pugilists at the continental event.
India finishes with six boxing medals
India concluded its boxing campaign at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games with six medals — three gold and three bronze.
Alongside Panghal, Lovlina and Parveen, the bronze medallists were Priya Ghanghas in the women’s 60kg category, Kapil Pokhariya in the men’s 90kg category and Narender Berwal in the men’s +90kg category.
The three gold medals represent India’s best gold-medal performance in boxing at an Asian Games.
India’s biggest overall boxing medal haul at the continental event remains the 2010 Guangzhou Games, when Indian boxers won nine medals — two gold, three silver and four bronze.
Strong run follows Commonwealth Games success
The Asian Games performance comes shortly after another highly successful campaign for Indian boxers at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
Indian boxers had won 10 medals at the Commonwealth Games, including seven gold and three silver, earlier this year.
Panghal was among the gold medallists there, winning the men’s 80kg title. His back-to-back victories at the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games have established him as one of the prominent young names in India’s current boxing contingent.
His Asian Games triumph also came in his first appearance at the continental multi-sport event, making the achievement particularly notable for the 21-year-old boxer.
Panghal seals memorable Asian Games campaign
Panghal’s gold brought India’s boxing campaign at Aichi-Nagoya to a close on a historic note.
His victory over Kim combined tactical discipline with sustained pressure, allowing him to maintain his advantage through all three rounds. The final scorecard showed the contest was not a unanimous 5-0 decision, but a 4-0 split verdict in Panghal’s favour, with four judges backing the Indian and one scoring the bout level.
For Indian boxing, the result marked a return to the top of the Asian Games men’s podium after Amit Panghal’s 2018 triumph. Combined with the gold medals won by Lovlina Borgohain and Parveen Hooda, it also gave India three boxing golds in a single edition.
Panghal can now add an Asian Games title to his Commonwealth Games gold, while India’s boxers leave the Aichi-Nagoya Games with three gold and three bronze medals.