3 most memorable wins for India in Boxing at the Olympics
Indian boxing has seen remarkable growth since the country sent its first set of boxers to the Olympics. Several Indian boxers have won top honors at the international level and earned their place amongst the greatest in the world.
The sport has also grown significantly in the country, with India clinching medals in three of the last four Olympic editions. Notably, Indian women have shone brightly, winning medals in two out of the three editions since women's boxing was introduced in 2012.
With its consistent achievements, boxing has become one of the sports where India expects medals at the Games. Here are three of India’s most memorable Olympic boxing moments.
#3 Lovlina Borgohain - Bronze Medal, Tokyo 2020 Olympics (Women’s 69 kg)
Lovlina Borgohain’s Olympic debut at Tokyo 2020 was nothing short of spectacular. The welterweight boxer from Assam was ranked world No. 5 going into the Tokyo Olympics.
Comparatively inexperienced, Lovlina took on German boxer Nadine Apetz in her opening match. After three closely contested rounds, Borgohain emerged victorious to book her place in the last eight.
In the quarterfinals, Lovlina faced former world champion Chen Nien-chin of Chinese Taipei. Despite losing four previous bouts to Chen, Lovlina delivered a stellar performance, winning by a 4:1 split verdict to advance to the semi-finals.
In the semifinals, the Indian boxer took on world champion Busenaz Surmeneli. Despite putting up a strong fight, Surmeneli proved to be too strong, and Lovlina had to settle for a bronze medal. Her bronze added yet another medal to India’s tally of medals in boxing at the Olympics and made it three in four editions.
Lovlina Borgohain is all set to participate in the Paris Olympics 2024.
#2 Vijender Singh - Bronze Medal, Beijing 2008 Olympics (Men’s 75 kg)
The breakthrough moment for Indian boxing came at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, when Vijender Singh won the country’s first-ever Olympic boxing medal. After an early exit in the Athens 2004 Olympics, Vijender returned to the Olympics with a renewed determination and fought hard to make it to the podium.
In Beijing, the middleweight boxer started his campaign by defeating Gambia’s Badou Jack and Thailand’s Angkhan Chomphuphuang in the initial rounds. Despite sustaining severe pain in the bout against the Thai boxer, Vijender recovered swiftly to face Ecuador’s Carlos Gongora in the quarterfinal.
Singh defeated Gingora 9-4, and the victory not only earned him a place in the last four but also secured India’s first boxing medal. Although he lost to Cuba’s Emilio Correa in the semi-finals, Vijender’s bronze medal was a historic achievement that inspired a new generation of Indian boxers.
#1 Mary Kom - Bronze Medal, London 2012 Olympics (Women’s 51 kg)
MC Mary Kom is one such Indian athlete that needs no introduction. When women’s boxing debuted at the London 2012 Olympics, the legendary Indian boxer was already a five-time world champion and four-time Asian champion and had cemented her legacy as the greatest Indian boxer.
Competing in the flyweight division, Mary Kom had to move up in weight class but adapted seamlessly, and there was absolutely no doubt that she would return with a medal.
In her journey at the London Olympics, she defeated former world champion Karolina Michalczuk of Poland in the round of 16 and dominated Tunisia’s Maroua Rahali in the quarterfinals with a 15-6 victory to enter the semifinals and ensure herself and India of a medal.
Though she lost to eventual gold medalist Nicola Adams in the semi-finals, Mary Kom’s bronze medal added another milestone achievement to her already illustrious career and made her the first Indian woman boxer to win an Olympic medal.