Ankush Panghal Becomes First Indian Man to Win Asian Games Boxing Gold
Ankush Panghal became the first Indian man to win a boxing gold medal at the Asian Games on Friday. The Haryana boxer beat South Korea's Minseong Kim 5-0 in the men's 80kg final and brought India's boxing campaign at the Games to a close. The 21-year-old started fast, taking the opening round 4-1. He kept control in round two, with all five judges scoring it in his favour. Panghal finished in style with another 4-1 round to seal a comfortable win and the gold medal. He reached the final after coming from behind to beat Uzbekistan's reigning 75kg world champion Fazliddin Erkinboev 4-1 in the semi-final. That made Panghal the first Indian male boxer since Amit Panghal to win Asian Games gold. Amit Panghal won at the 2018 Asian Games in Jakarta.
Gold medalist India's Ankush poses with silver medalist South Korea's Kim Min-seong, left, and bronze medalists, Uzbekistan's Fazliddin Erkinboev, center right, and Jordan's Hussein Iashaish, right, during the medal ceremony for the men's 80kg boxing event at the Asian Games in Nishio, Aichi prefecture, Japan, Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. | Photo: AP/Lee Jin-man
India's Ankush celebrates his win over South Korea's Kim Min-seong in their men's 80kg boxing final match at the Asian Games in Nishio, Aichi prefecture, Japan, Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. | Photo: AP/Lee Jin-man
India's Ankush celebrates his win over South Korea's Kim Min-seong in their men's 80kg boxing final match at the Asian Games in Nishio, Aichi prefecture, Japan, Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. | Photo: AP/Lee Jin-man
India's Ankush, in red, and South Korea's Kim Min-seong, in blue, fight in their men's 80kg boxing final match at the Asian Games in Nishio, Aichi prefecture, Japan, Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. | Photo: AP/Lee Jin-man
India's Ankush, in red, and South Korea's Kim Min-seong, in blue, fight in their men's 80kg boxing final match at the Asian Games in Nishio, Aichi prefecture, Japan, Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. | Photo: AP/Lee Jin-man
India's Ankush, in red, and South Korea's Kim Min-seong, in blue, fight in their men's 80kg boxing final match at the Asian Games in Nishio, Aichi prefecture, Japan, Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. | Photo: AP/Lee Jin-man
India's Ankush, in red, and South Korea's Kim Min-seong, in blue, fight in their men's 80kg boxing final match at the Asian Games in Nishio, Aichi prefecture, Japan, Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. | Photo: AP/Lee Jin-man
India's Ankush, in red ,and South Korea's Kim Min-seong, in blue, fight in their men's 80kg boxing final match at the Asian Games in Nishio, Aichi prefecture, Japan, Friday, Oct. 2, 2026. | Photo: AP/Lee Jin-man
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