In Ulaanbaatar on April 6, India's bantamweight star Preeti Pawar defeated Korean bronze medalist Aeji Im to secure her spot in the 54kg Elite Women's final at the 2026 Asian Boxing Championships. Indian women's team members Priya and Arundhati Choudhary also advanced to the finals, winning their semifinal matches in Ulaanbaatar.
In the women's 54kg semifinal, Preeti, the gold medalist from the World Boxing Cup Finals, delivered a composed and clinical performance, dominating all three rounds against Im to achieve a 5-0 victory. She will now face Huang Hsiao-wen of Chinese Taipei, a three-time World Champion (2019, 2023, 2025) and the Tokyo 2020 Olympic bronze medalist, in a crucial gold medal clash.
In the women's 60kg category, Priya produced a commanding display to defeat Namuun Monkhor (MGL) by a 5-0 unanimous decision, securing her spot in the final. She will now face North Korea's Un Gyong Won in the title bout.
In the women's 65kg category, Ankushita Boro lost 0-3 to Nien-Chin Chen of Chinese Taipei, the Paris Olympics bronze medalist, in the semifinals. The bout was interrupted due to a power supply issue after the first round, and the result was decided based on points.
In the women's 70kg category, Arundhati impressed with a 4-1 victory over Oysha Toirova (UZB), showcasing control and composure to advance to the final. She is set to face Kazakhstan's Bakyt Seidish next.
Meanwhile, in the women's 51kg category, Nikhat Zareen lost 0-5 to Wu Yu of China, the reigning Olympic gold medallist and one of the most dominant boxers in the division, in the semifinals.
In the women's 75kg category, Lovlina Borgohain suffered a 0-5 defeat to Aziza Zokirova of Uzbekistan, a World Championships bronze medalist in the 70kg category, known for her aggressive style and strong international performances.
In the women's 80kg category, Pooja Rani lost 0-5 to Nadezhda Ryabets of Kazakhstan, a 2023 World Championships bronze medallist and an experienced campaigner.
With four boxers already qualified for the finals, India's campaign continues with two more semifinal matches in the women's 48kg and 57kg categories scheduled for April 7.