Indian pugilists Jyoti, Minakshi, Prachi, and Deepak have charged into the finals of the World Boxing Cup 2026 Stage 2 in Guiyang, People’s Republic of China, following a series of commanding semi-final performances on Saturday.
The Indian contingent has secured six medals at the tournament, with four boxers advancing to fight for gold on Sunday, June 21, and two others claiming bronze after their campaigns ended in the semi-finals.
Jyoti delivered a resilient performance in the women’s 48kg category, overcoming Mexico’s Fatima Herrera with a 3-2 split decision victory on June 20. Herrera was a formidable opponent, having recently earned a silver medal at the World Boxing Cup in Brazil, but Jyoti’s tactical approach secured her place in the final.
Indian women dominate semi-finals at the World Boxing Cup
A late addition to the 20-member Indian squad, Jyoti will now face Uzbekistan’s Farzona Fozilova for the title, having already impressed earlier in the week with a second-round stoppage of Mongolia’s Enkh Amgalan Nomundari.
In the women’s 51kg division, Minakshi continued her rise by defeating Spain’s Laura Fuertes Fernandez with a clinical 5-0 unanimous decision. While she is the reigning world champion and currently top-ranked in the 48kg category, Minakshi has moved up to the 51kg division this season.
Her transition appears successful, particularly after she eliminated current 51kg world No. 3 Alua Balkibekova in the quarter-finals. She is scheduled to face home favorite Wu Yu of China in the final.
Prachi reinforced India’s strength in the women’s 57kg category by defeating France’s Amina Zidani with a 4-1 scoreline. This followed a significant quarter-final victory on Friday, where she bested Paris 2024 Olympic bronze medalist Wu Shih-yi. Prachi’s run in Guiyang has been defined by consistency, including an earlier 5-0 victory over American Deborah Grant.
She now prepares to face Nigina Uktamova of Uzbekistan in the Sunday final.
The sole male finalist for India, Deepak, demonstrated technical precision in his 70kg semi-final against France’s Makan Traore. Deepak secured a 5-0 unanimous decision, replicating the scoreline from his quarter-final win over Azerbaijan’s Nabi Isgandarov. While com/anthony-joshua-dismisses-jake-paul-s-injury-with-that-s-figh/”>Anthony Joshua dismisses Jake Paul’s injury as a standard part of the fight game, Deepak has managed to remain unscathed and efficient throughout his bracket. He will square off against Kazakhstan’s Ablaikhan Zhussupov for the gold medal.
While the top of the card thrived, the tournament has seen mixed results for other squad members. Boxer Poonam lost a 2-3 split decision to Chinese Taipei’s Hsiao Wen Huang in the women’s 54kg class during the early stages of the event.
Similarly, Saneh exited the 65kg competition following a 0-5 loss to Poland’s Kinga Krówka on June 19. These narrow margins emphasize the high level of competition among the 333 pugilists gathered in China.
Bronze medals secured by Jugnoo and Nikhil
Two Indian men saw their gold medal hopes end on Saturday but walked away with bronze medals after reaching the semi-finals. Jugnoo finished his campaign in the 85kg category after a 0-5 defeat to France’s Junior Tadah.
Despite the loss, his progression to the final four ensured a podium finish, contributing to India’s guaranteed medal haul of six. Although there is no professional Fury-Joshua bout on this weekend’s amateur schedule, the intensity in the ring mirrored that of a high-stakes title fight.
Nikhil also secured a bronze medal in the men’s 55kg division after going down 0-5 against the USA’s Lorenzo Patricio in their semi-final match. Nikhil’s path to the semi-final included a hard-fought 3-2 split decision win over France’s Christopher Hippocrate and a dominant 5-0 quarter-final victory against Azerbaijan’s Amin Mammadzada.
His run highlights the potential of the younger members of the Indian contingent on the international circuit.
Final schedule and tournament context in Guiyang
The World Boxing Cup serves as a critical event for international rankings, and India’s performance in Guiyang indicates a strong competitive standing ahead of the season’s major championships. With four finalists, the team has the opportunity to significantly increase their gold medal tally on the final day.
Recent discussions about high-profile international debuts, such as how Jones may discuss boxing debut in other regions, show the global interest in the sport’s expansion, which this tournament reflects through its diverse entry list.
The final matches involving Indian boxers on June 21 are as follows:
- Jyoti (Women’s 48kg) vs. Farzona Fozilova (Uzbekistan)
- Minakshi (Women’s 51kg) vs. Wu Yu (China)
- Prachi (Women’s 57kg) vs. Nigina Uktamova (Uzbekistan)
- Deepak (Men’s 70kg) vs. Ablaikhan Zhussupov (Kazakhstan)
The tournament in the People’s Republic of China concludes tomorrow. For the Indian coaching staff, the focus remains on converting these four final berths into gold. Regardless of Sunday’s outcomes, the squad has already improved upon their previous Stage 1 performances, establishing a solid baseline for the remainder of the 2026 boxing calendar.
