Boxers’ WC Finals sweep entails caveats

greater Noida: India’s overwhelming success at the World Boxing Cup Finals glitters with gold but is it truly reflective of a great performance? The answer is not as simple despite the home boxers’ haul of record 20 medals.

The final tally included nine gold in an unprecedented show of strength on home turf.

It was a finale to the World Boxing Cup series launched by the sport’s new governing body, World Boxing, earlier this year. Under the format, medallists from the three World Cups and the top-ranked pugilists across weight categories qualified directly for the quarterfinal stage. However, only 15 women and 11 men ranked inside the top eight of their respective weight divisions participated. Powerhouses such as Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan fielded second or even third-string squads, while countries like China and the USA skipped the competition entirely.

India, as hosts, were granted entries in all 20 weight categories and fielded a full-strength squad. It marked the first time the country medalled in every division at a global event. Yet several draws featured as few as three boxers, meaning athletes such as Nupur Sheoran, Pooja Rani, Saweety Boora, and Neeraj Phogat ended on the podium.