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Indias Women Boxers Poised for Olympic Success, Says Former Champion Akhil Kumar
Former Commonwealth Games gold‑medallist Akhil Kumar, now a Haryana Police officer, told PTI over the phone that India’s women boxers are on track to bring home multiple medals at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow proved a watershed moment for Indian boxing. The country collected ten medals – seven gold and three silver – with women’s boxing delivering every gold in the seven weight categories and a silver in the 70‑kg division. Men’s boxing earned two golds and a silver. Glasgow hosted 70 women from 43 countries and 131 men from 43 countries, a slight contraction from the 2022 Games.
Kumar, who was the only Indian boxer to win gold at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, said the women’s team “are clearly delivering better results.” He noted that the expansion of women’s weight categories – from three in 2014 to seven in 2026 – has been matched by India’s success. “We have adapted to the expansion of the sport quite well and given how it has grown, I guess India is better positioned to deliver more than one Olympic medal in women’s boxing in 2028,” he said.
The 2028 Olympic boxing programme will feature the same seven weight divisions that were contested in Glasgow. Kumar believes that the women’s squad, which already secured medals across all categories, is the strongest contender for Olympic success. He added that the current crop of male boxers “does not look like it can be an Olympic medallist at this stage.” He said he would reconsider his view if there were a “drastic improvement” in the men’s ranks.
During the interview, Kumar highlighted individual performers. He praised Jaismine Lamboria (57‑kg) and Sakshi Chaudhary (51‑kg) for their all‑round games and noted that both were gold medallists in Glasgow. He also mentioned Jadumani Singh (55‑kg) as a promising talent, citing his speed, power and south‑paw stance.
Beyond performance, Kumar stressed the need for heroes who can inspire the next generation. He recalled the impact of Vijender Singh’s bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and compared it to contemporary figures such as Neeraj Chopra and Manu Bhaker. “When youngsters see an athlete’s struggle, discipline and hard work, they get inspired,” he said. “I believe boxing doesn’t have that kind of story right now.”
Kumar also criticized the seeding‑based selection system that had been used to pick the Commonwealth Games team. He described the system as “rubbish” and argued that it relied on subjective metrics such as training performance and punctuality, which he said were irrelevant to a three‑round, three‑minute bout. He said that after intervention by the Sports Authority of India, trials were held to select the team. “Boxing is about fighting three rounds of three minutes. Beyond that, who can run faster or what time they show up at training means absolutely nothing,” he said.
The Indian boxing community has long debated selection methods. The Sports Authority of India and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports have both questioned the seeding approach, citing its lack of clarity. The trials held for the Commonwealth Games were the first major selection process in recent years to rely solely on performance in a controlled competition.
Looking ahead, the Indian boxing federation is preparing for the 2028 Olympics, the 2027 World Championships, and the 2028 Asian Games. The federation has announced a focus on talent identification and development through the Khelo India programme. The upcoming Olympic cycle will also see the inclusion of new weight categories for women, further expanding opportunities.
In summary, Akhil Kumar’s assessment points to a clear advantage for Indian women’s boxing on the international stage. With a record‑breaking Commonwealth Games performance, a growing number of weight divisions, and a strategic emphasis on trials over seeding, India’s women boxers are positioned to secure multiple medals at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The men’s squad, meanwhile, will need significant development to become competitive at the same level.
The 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow proved a watershed moment for Indian boxing. The country collected ten medals – seven gold and three silver – with women’s boxing delivering every gold in the seven weight categories and a silver in the 70‑kg division. Men’s boxing earned two golds and a silver. Glasgow hosted 70 women from 43 countries and 131 men from 43 countries, a slight contraction from the 2022 Games.
Kumar, who was the only Indian boxer to win gold at the 2006 Commonwealth Games, said the women’s team “are clearly delivering better results.” He noted that the expansion of women’s weight categories – from three in 2014 to seven in 2026 – has been matched by India’s success. “We have adapted to the expansion of the sport quite well and given how it has grown, I guess India is better positioned to deliver more than one Olympic medal in women’s boxing in 2028,” he said.
The 2028 Olympic boxing programme will feature the same seven weight divisions that were contested in Glasgow. Kumar believes that the women’s squad, which already secured medals across all categories, is the strongest contender for Olympic success. He added that the current crop of male boxers “does not look like it can be an Olympic medallist at this stage.” He said he would reconsider his view if there were a “drastic improvement” in the men’s ranks.
During the interview, Kumar highlighted individual performers. He praised Jaismine Lamboria (57‑kg) and Sakshi Chaudhary (51‑kg) for their all‑round games and noted that both were gold medallists in Glasgow. He also mentioned Jadumani Singh (55‑kg) as a promising talent, citing his speed, power and south‑paw stance.
Beyond performance, Kumar stressed the need for heroes who can inspire the next generation. He recalled the impact of Vijender Singh’s bronze at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and compared it to contemporary figures such as Neeraj Chopra and Manu Bhaker. “When youngsters see an athlete’s struggle, discipline and hard work, they get inspired,” he said. “I believe boxing doesn’t have that kind of story right now.”
Kumar also criticized the seeding‑based selection system that had been used to pick the Commonwealth Games team. He described the system as “rubbish” and argued that it relied on subjective metrics such as training performance and punctuality, which he said were irrelevant to a three‑round, three‑minute bout. He said that after intervention by the Sports Authority of India, trials were held to select the team. “Boxing is about fighting three rounds of three minutes. Beyond that, who can run faster or what time they show up at training means absolutely nothing,” he said.
The Indian boxing community has long debated selection methods. The Sports Authority of India and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports have both questioned the seeding approach, citing its lack of clarity. The trials held for the Commonwealth Games were the first major selection process in recent years to rely solely on performance in a controlled competition.
Looking ahead, the Indian boxing federation is preparing for the 2028 Olympics, the 2027 World Championships, and the 2028 Asian Games. The federation has announced a focus on talent identification and development through the Khelo India programme. The upcoming Olympic cycle will also see the inclusion of new weight categories for women, further expanding opportunities.
In summary, Akhil Kumar’s assessment points to a clear advantage for Indian women’s boxing on the international stage. With a record‑breaking Commonwealth Games performance, a growing number of weight divisions, and a strategic emphasis on trials over seeding, India’s women boxers are positioned to secure multiple medals at the 2028 Los Angeles Games. The men’s squad, meanwhile, will need significant development to become competitive at the same level.
