Indian pugilists chase their elusive heavyweight dreams

Earlier this month, Indian boxers returned from the second leg of World Boxing Cup in Astana with a haul of 11 medals, including three gold.

- Shantanu Srivastava

While the majority of podiums were secured by the light and middleweight boxers, the heavyweights punched above their weight as well, winning a total of four medals — two each in men’s and women’s divisions.

The numbers may not jump out just yet, but it's a start nevertheless considering all of India’s three Olympic medals have come in lighter weights. It’s worth noting that in the last three Olympics, only a solitary Indian — Satish Kumar (+91kg) — could qualify in the heavier weights. After the misbegotten campaign in Paris where the boxing contingent returned empty-handed, things are beginning to look up despite the organisational churn that the boxing federation is going through.

Nupur Sheoran’s gold in +80kg, Pooja Rani's silver in 80kg, Jugnoo Ahlawat's silver in 85kg, and Narender Berwal’s bronze in 90+kg in Astana were preceded by Gaurav Chauhan’s (+90kg) gold in Seychelles National Day Tournament last month and Vishal Bataan’s bronze (90kg) in the first World Boxing Cup in Foz do Iguacu, Brazil in March-April.

Second string 90kg boxers Naman Tanwar and Anshul Gill impressed at the Thailand Open in June where both got the better of their Uzbek opponents with Tanwar going on to win gold,