IBA World Boxing Championships: All Indian boxers who won medals at the tournament
India has been moderately successful in the previous additions to the IBA World Boxing Championship. With multiple players in the medals list over all of these years, Indian Boxing has been revived by these successful pugilists.
2023 has been the most successful year for India at the World Boxing Championship. With three Indians securing the medals for India at the premium event, this has been the highest medal count for India at the event.
On that note, here are the Indians who triumphed at the World Boxing Championships:
#1 Vijender Singh
Professional boxer turned politician Vijender Singh had a successful campaign at the 2009 World Boxing Championship. He was the only boxer to grab a medal for India that year.
In the Round of 32, Singh defeated Azamet Belgibayev from Kazakhstan by a dominating score of 14-8. Next, he knocked Steve Rolls out of the tournament with a thrilling fight and a score of 4-2.
Singh then went on to win the quarterfinal bout against Sergiy Derevyanchenko of Ukraine 12-4. Having secured the first World Boxing medal by virtue of progressing to the semifinals, he bowed out of the tournament after a well-fought bout against Uzbek boxer Abbos Atoev.
#2 Vikas Krishan Yadav
Vikas Krishan Yadav became the second medallist for India at the World Boxing Championship.
The boxer from Haryana started off his campaign at the 2011 tournament in the Round of 64 against Astmer Bilali from Albania and won 16-7. In the Round of 32, he matched up against Mahamed Nurudinau, who he defeated by a split decision of +10-10.
In the pre-quarters, he dominated Onder Sipal from Turkey by a 14-7 decision. Then he squared off against Vasili Belous in the quarterfinals and managed to win by 9-8, which secured a bronze medal for India.
Yadav bowed out of the tournament in the semifinals after a defeat to Teres Sheletyuk.
#3 Shiva Thapa
Well-known Indian pugilist Shiva Thapa became the third bronze medallist for India in the World Boxing Championships.
Thapa started his campaign in the 2015 edition by securing a win against Khalil Litim of Algeria by 2-1. In the Round of 16, he defeated Mohammed Hamout by a knockout in the game.
The quarterfinals saw him defeat Hakan Erseker from Qatar by 3-0, before bowing out of the tournament with a defeat against Murodjon Akhamedaliev of Uzbekistan in the semifinal.
#4 Gaurav Bidhuri
Gaurav Bidhuri, the fourth bronze medallist for India in the IBA World Boxing Championships, was phenomenal in 2017. He started his campaign against Sam Goodman of Australia, winning with a unanimous 5-0 decision.
In the next round, Bidhuri defeated Mukula Butsenko 4-1 and then won against Bilel Mhamdi in the quarterfinals. He bowed out of the tournament in the semifinal after a defeat against Duke Ragan of the USA.
#5 Manish Kaushik
The fifth Bronze medallist for India in IBA World Boxing Championship, Manish Kaushik was the only pugilist from the Indian contingent to secure a medal in the 2019 edition.
Kaushik began the tournament with a win against Argen Kadyrbek by a unanimous 5-0 decision. In the next round, he squared against the Dutch boxer Enrico Lacruz, who he also defeated 5-0.
He then defeated Baatarsukhiin in the pre-quarters and Wanderson de Oliveira in the quarterfinals, both again by unanimous 5-0 decisions, before bowing out in the semifinals against Andy Cruz of Cuba
#6 Amit Panghal
Amit Panghal is the first silver medallist for India at World Boxing Championship.
Panghal’s campaign in the 2019 edition of the event started with a 5-0 win against Tu Po-wei. In the next round, he defeated Batuhan Ciftci with the same score.
After defeating Carlo Palaam in the quarterfinals by 4-1, he knocked Sakin Bibossinov in the semifinals. Panghal then bowed out of the tournament following defeat to Shakhobidin Zoirov in the finals, having secured silver for India.
#7 Akash Kumar
Akash Kumar became the sixth Bronze medallist for India at World Boxing Championships.
In the 2021 edition, he defeated Germany’s Saqlah Ibrahim Omer and Porto Rico’s Caleb Tirado in the first two rounds respectively. In the quarterfinals, he defeated Venezuelan Yoel Finol before losing to Makhmud Sabyrkhan in the semifinals.
#8 Mohammad Hussamuddin
Mohammad Hussamuddin, one of the most prolific pugilists of the Indian contingent, has won the hearts of every Indian boxing fan since making his debut. In 2023, he became the seventh bronze medalist for India at World Boxing Championship.
He defeated Alen Rustemovski of Macedonia by 5-0 in the opening game. In the Round of 32, he defeated Lyu Ping of China by 5-0 and won with the same score against Eduard Savvin of Russia next.
Hussamuddin earned a hard-fought victory against Javier Ibanez Diaz of Bulgaria by 4-3 in the quarterfinals. He, however, had to forfeit his semifinal due to injury.
#9 Nishant Dev
Nishant Dev was fabulous in the 2023 edition of the World Boxing Championship. He defeated Sarkhan Aliyev of Azerbaijan by 5-0 in the opening game of his tournament.
Next up was Lee Sangmin of South Korea and the result was the same for Nishant. He knocked out Nidal Foqahaa from Palestine in the first round of pre-quarters. In the quarterfinals, he defeated Jorge Cuellar of Cuba by 5-0 before losing to Aslanbek Shymbergenov of Kazakhstan in the semifinals.
#10 Deepak Bhoria
Deepak Bhoria was flawless till his last match at World Boxing Championship 2023. He defeated Luis Delgado of Ecuador by 5-0 in the opening game of the tournament. Next up he beat Sakin Bibossinov of Kazakhstan in the Round of 32 match.
Bhoria got the better of Zhang Jiamao of China in the pre-quarters and then defeated Kyrygztan’s Nurzhigit Diushebaev, before bowing out of the tournament at the hands of Bilal Bennema in the semifinals.