Asian Games 2023: 3 Indian boxers who can win Gold
Boxing is one of the most successful sport for the Indian contingent when it comes to winning medals at the Asian Games. India has won 57 medals in Boxing at the Asian Games throughout history, making it the fourth most triumphant sport for India. Indian pugilists bagged three medals at the 2018 Asian Games as well.
Indian Boxing has been doing well recently with four Gold Medal titles at the Women's World Championships and three Bronze Medal wins at the Men's World Championships in the last one year. India also won an Olympic medal in boxing through Lovlina Borgohain at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Let's have a look at the top three Indian Boxers who can win the Gold Medal for India at the Asian Games 2023.
#3 Nishant Dev
Nishant Dev arrived on the big stage very recently,. He won the Bronze Medal in Men's 71Kg at the Men's Boxing World Championships 2023. Dev picked up boxing back in 2012, after being inspired by his uncle, who also was a professional boxer.
The Karnal-based Boxer has a long history of injuries and surgeries, which made him miss several competitions in the recent past. The young 22-year old boxer will be looking to beat Kazakhstan's Aslanbek Shymbergenov at the Asian Games.
The Kazakh boxer beat Dev in the semi-finals of the recent World Championships which forced the Indian boxer to settle for the Bronze medal.
#2 Deepak Bhoria
Deepak Bhoria hit the headlines back in 2021 when he beat 2016 Olympic Champion Shakhobidin Zoirov at the Strandja Memorial tournament, and clinching a prestigious silver medal.
The Haryana based boxer also had won the Silver Medal at the Asian Boxing Championships back in 2019. Bhoria missed out on appearing for India at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics as Amit Panghal was given the go ahead in the same weight category.
The 26-year-old boxer never stopped believing, and represented India at the Men's World Boxing Championships 2023. He went on to win a historic Bronze medal, and will have his tails up in the upcoming Asian Games.
#1 Nikhat Zareen
Nikhat Zareen is arguably India's best boxer at the moment. The Hyderabad based Southpaw stormed into the world stage with a Gold Medal in the Strandja Memorial tournament in 2021, and then followed up with yet another Gold medal finish at the same competition in the following year.
2022 was a formidable year for Zareen. She was crowned the World Champions before winning the Gold Medal in the 2022 Commonwealth Games. Zareen continued her formidable run of form, winning the 2023 World Championship title as well. She will have her eyes on winning her maiden Gold Medal at the Asian Games in Hanzghou up next.