India gears up for tough fight, eyes medals at Asian Championships 2026

Guwahati, March 27: With the Asian Boxing Championships 2026 set to begin in Mongolia on March 28, India’s women’s head coach Santiago Nieva expressed confidence in the team’s preparation while acknowledging the stiff competition ahead.

In an interaction ahead of the tournament, Nieva said Asia has emerged as the strongest boxing region in recent years.

“Over the last decade, Asia has grown tremendously and is now the number one region in boxing. Earlier, Europe used to dominate in terms of Olympic medals, but that has changed,” he said.

The 20-member Indian contingent, led by Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain and two-time world champion Nikhat Zareen, will be aiming for a strong medal haul at the continental event.

Asked about India’s prospects, Nieva said the team is well prepared but cautious of strong opposition.

“We know we have a strong team, but there are several other strong nations as well. At the Olympics, Uzbekistan’s men’s team and China’s women’s team were the best. We are coming in well prepared, ready to face the toughest opponents, and hopeful of winning many medals, including some gold,” he said.

The Indian squad has been training in Mongolia for nearly two weeks as part of its build-up.

“The camp has been very productive so far. We have completed our second sparring phase and have one more session left. Alongside that, we’ve had joint training sessions with teams from Thailand, Jordan, China and Mongolia, which has provided excellent exposure,” he said.

Nieva highlighted the challenges posed by the local conditions, particularly the higher altitude and cold weather.

“The altitude is higher and the weather is much colder compared to India. The boxers are adapting well, performing strongly and showing visible improvement. Arriving early has really helped with acclimatisation,” he said.

On the most demanding aspect of the camp, he added, “One of the biggest challenges has been adapting to these different conditions, especially the altitude and weather. But it is also one of the most exciting aspects as it pushes the athletes out of their comfort zones.”

India heads into the championship after a successful outing at the BOXAM Elite International 2026 in Spain, where the team won nine gold medals.

“The overall environment is very positive. The boxers are motivated, focused and continuously improving. There is a strong sense of readiness within the team,” Nieva said.

The winners of the Asian Championships will secure direct qualification for the Asian Games and Commonwealth Games later this year.

Nieva, who earlier served as India’s high-performance director from 2017 to 2021, returned as head coach of the women’s team in November 2025 at the start of the new Olympic cycle.

Apart from Lovlina in the 75kg category, Assam’s Ankushita Boro in the 65kg division is also part of the Indian contingent.