Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 15 (ANI): The World Boxing Cup Finals 2025 formally come to life on Sunday in Greater Noida, the opening ceremony kicking off what guarantees to be a landmark week in international boxing.
Earlier, the draw delivered India a mixture of sturdy alternatives and high-pressure exams, with World Champion Minakshi Hooda, Preeti, Narender Berwal and Ankush Phangal main the hosts’ Day 1 marketing campaign. After a landmark World Championships in 2023, this marks India’s first main worldwide boxing match on dwelling soil, signalling the nation’s renewed presence on the worldwide stage.
India’s marketing campaign opens with a high-stakes opener as World Championships Liverpool 2025 gold medalist Minakshi (48kg) collides with Kazakhstan’s Bolat Akbota, adopted by a tense, tactical showdown between Preeti (54kg) and Uzbekistan’s Nigina Uktamova, a former Youth World champion and an Asiad medal to her name- the winner of this bout shall be incomes a blockbuster assembly in opposition to Olympic medalist and high seed, Huang Hsiao-Wen of Chinese Taipei.
On World Boxing Cup Finals, two-time World Champion Nikhat Zareen stated, ‘It’s a proud second for us that India is internet hosting the World Cup finals. I shall be enjoying in entrance of the house crowd after 2023. I’ll give my finest. I hope I come out because the winner and return as a champion…’
The males’s draw brings equally fierce motion, that includes a high-octane conflict between Ankush Phangal (80kg) and Japan’s Go Wakaya, a silver medalist from the earlier iteration of the World Boxing Cup Finals in Sheffield, identified for his vary and quickness. Meanwhile, Narender Berwal (90+kg), the Asian Games and World Cup bronze medalist, will lock right into a power-packed quarterfinal in opposition to Ukraine’s King’s Cup 2025 gold medalist Andrii Khaletskyi. Later within the match, Brazil World Cup gold medalist Hitesh is primed for a marquee 70kg battle with high seed Sewon Okazawa, as two-time World Champ Nikhat Zareen dives straight right into a semifinal showdown with Uzbek Ganieva Gulsevar.
Addressing the gathering, Ajay Singh, BFI President stated, ‘This really is a celebration of excellence. We have the highest boxers from the world coming right here, on this stage, and competing to be the champions. This is a superb second for the sportsperson, an amazing second for our nation. On behalf of 1.4 billion Indians, I welcome you all. I admire the hassle of all of the organisers, companions, and volunteers, and reaffirm that India is totally dedicated to supporting World Boxing now and sooner or later, for a lot of, many such championships,’ as quoted from a launch by Boxing Federation of India (BFI).
Kicking off the match in type, the opening ceremony supplied a robust glimpse of the dimensions and status surrounding the occasion on Saturday night, that includes a placing lamp-lighting phase and a march-past of all collaborating international locations. The night additionally showcased a vibrant mix of music and dance, capturing the cultural richness of India by way of a superbly curated efficiency because the Games have been formally declared open. Boxing Federation of India (BFI) President Ajay Singh, World Boxing Cup Organizing Secretary and General Secretary, BFI, Pramod Kumar, and Acting World Boxing Secretary General Mike McAtee presided over the ceremony, formally opening the match.
‘In our nation, boxing is not only a sport; it’s a faith. With every victory, with every gold medal that our boxers get, we’ve tons of and tons of of younger kids who take to the game, who’re impressed to imagine that even they’ll do it. Boxing contributes not simply medals, it fuels entire generations. My very, perfect needs to all of the athletes,’ Singh added.
The Finale Championships, staged from November 16-20 on the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex, carry collectively greater than 120 elite boxers from 15 nations, marking some of the aggressive fields within the match’s younger historical past. Every weight class with ten for males and ten for girls, encompasses a most of eight contenders, every chosen by way of the Official World Boxing Rankings, guaranteeing excessive affect and high quality competitors.
Speaking on the event, Mike McAtee, Acting World Boxing Secretary General added : ‘It’s an honour and privilege to be right here in India, to be a part of the primary World Boxing Cup Finals. It couldn’t have occurred with out the nice management of (BFI) President (Ajay) Singh, the Boxing Federation of India, the Boxers, the coaches, the officers, the followers, and the nation as a complete, which has gotten behind this occasion. Having witnessed firsthand the boxers develop from Brazil to India this yr, the boxing shall be wonderful.’
The ceremony noticed the presence of key dignitaries, amongst them Surinder Singh (Block Pramukh), Krishna (Administrator, Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex), R.P. Singh (Sports Director, UP Government), and Rajya Sabha MP Surendra Singh Naagar, together with Pramod Kumar (Secretary General, BFI) and Pon Baskaran (Treasurer,BFI), all of whom joined in formally inaugurating the occasion.
The Finale Championships is especially significant for India, which hosts the occasion for the primary time with a full 20-member lineup throughout all weight lessons. The dwelling boxers now have a uncommon probability to measure themselves in opposition to Olympic and world-level competitors. India additionally entered with sturdy kind and 6 medals, together with a gold, in Stage 1 in Brazil and 11 medals with three golds in Stage 3 in Kazakhstan.
Every win right here additionally carries essential rating factors, making every bout important for the Indians’ worldwide standing. (ANI)
