IBA World Men's Boxing Championships: List of medal winners from India

Published at :May 16, 2023 at 10:00 PM

Modified at :January 25, 2024 at 3:44 AM

Amit Panghal is the lone pugilist to win the silver medal till date.

Indian trio Deepak Bhoria, Mohammed Hussamuddin, and Nishant Dev bagged the bronze medal in the mne’s World Boxing Championship 2023. This was the first time in the history of Championships that three Indians qualified to the semi-finals.

The IBA World Boxing Championships, held in conjunction with the Olympic boxing program, hold immense significance in the world of boxing. This competition serves as one of the grandest stages for the sport, and India, historically, has achieved a total of ten medals in this prestigious event, comprising nine bronze medals and one silver medal.

Now, let’s delve into the medalists who have brought glory to India in this illustrious competition.

Vijender Singh (2009) – Bronze Medal

Vijender Singh, riding high on his Bronze Medal win at the 2008 Olympics, continued his impressive form by securing another bronze medal in the 2009 IBA World Championship held in Italy. Throughout the tournament, he showcased his prowess and defeated notable opponents.

In Round 2, he emerged victorious against Azamat Belgibayev (KAZ) with a score of 14-8. In the following rounds, he triumphed over Steve Rolls (4-2) and outperformed Sergiy Derevyanchenko (UKR) with a score of 12-4.

In the Semi-Finals, Vijender Singh faced off against Abbos Atoev in a highly competitive bout, ultimately losing with a score of 7-3. Abbos Atoev went on to clinch the gold medal in the 75 Kg Middleweight category, making his victory all the more significant.

Vikas Krishan (2011) – Bronze Medal

Vikas Krishan secured a well-deserved bronze medal in the 69 kg Welterweight category in the 2011 Edition. His journey in the tournament was filled with remarkable victories and intense battles.

In the Round of 64, Vikas emerged triumphant with a convincing score of 16:8 against Asadullo Boimurodov of Kyrgyzstan. In the subsequent round, he faced a tough opponent in Magomed Nurutdinov from Belarus. The bout ended in a tie with a score of 10:10, but Vikas secured the by scoring the last point.

In the pre-quarterfinals, he encountered Onder Sipal from Turkey, whom he defeated impressively by a score of 14:7. The quarterfinals brought an intense showdown against Vasili Belous of Moldova, where Vikas displayed exceptional skills and secured a close victory with a score of 9:8.

In the semi-finals, he faced Taras Shelestyuk from Ukraine, and despite putting up a valiant effort, Vikas fell short with a score of 15:12. Nevertheless, his remarkable performance throughout the tournament earned him the prestigious bronze medal in the Welterweight category.

Vikas Vikas’ decision to transition back to the 69 kg weight category from 75 kg was greatly inspired by his childhood friend Neeraj Goyat. Notably, he became only the second Indian male boxer, following the Olympic bronze medallist Vijender Singh, to qualify for his third Olympics.

Shiva Thapa (2015) – Bronze Medal

In the 2015 AIBA World Boxing Championships, Shiva Thapa won the bronze medal in the bantamweight category, which also served as a qualifier for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Thapa became the third Indian boxer to secure a bronze in this championship.

Thapa defeated Khalil Litim from Algeria, Mohamed Hamout from Morocco, and Hakan Erseker from Qatar to reach the semi-finals of the competition. He even managed to knock out Mohamed Hamout, which caught the attention of the fans.

However, Thapa lost to Murodjon Akhmadaliev from Uzbekistan with a score of 3-0 in the semi-finals but was able to secure the bronze medal for India.

Gaurav Bidhuri (2017) – Bronze Medal

In 2017, Gaurav Bidhuri showcased his remarkable skills and claimed the bronze medal in the Bantamweight category at the AIBA World Boxing Championships held in Hamburg, Germany.

Throughout his journey en route to semifinals, Bidhuri demonstrated exceptional dominance, conceding just one point to his opponents. He started his campaign by overpowering Sam Goodman from Australia with a flawless 5-0 victory in the first round. In the second round, he continued his winning streak by defeating Mykola Butsenko from Ukraine with a score of 4-1. In the quarterfinals, Bidhuri showcased his prowess once again, securing a convincing 3-0 victory over Bilel Mhamdi from Tunisia.

Although Bidhuri faced a defeat against Duke Ragan from the United States in the semifinals, his outstanding performance throughout the tournament earned him the well-deserved bronze medal, adding to India’s boxing legacy.

Manish Kaushik (2019) – Bronze Medal

In 2019, Manish Kaushik contributed to India’s medal count in the IBA World Boxing Championships by securing a bronze in the Light Welterweight category. Kaushik displayed exceptional dominance throughout his journey to the semifinals, triumphing over all four of his opponents with commanding 5-0 victories.

However, his remarkable run came to a halt when he faced the formidable Andy Cruz, a three-time gold medalist in the competition. Despite his valiant efforts, Kaushik was unable to overcome Cruz’s challenge and fell short in the semifinals.

Amit Panghal (2019) – Silver Medal

Amit Panghal had an outstanding performance in the Flyweight competition, earning him a remarkable silver medal and becoming the first Indian to make it to the final.

In the highly competitive 52kg category final, Panghal engaged in a hard-fought battle against the Olympic champion, Shakhobidin Zoirov of Uzbekistan. Despite the intense contest, Panghal faced a 0-5 defeat, which did not truly reflect the tremendous effort he put into the fight against the favored Zoirov.

Panghal’s exceptional journey and achievement in securing the silver medal showcased his skill, determination, and remarkable talent, marking a significant milestone for Indian boxing.

Akash Kumar (2019) – Bronze Medal

Akash Kumar from Paluwas village near the town of Bhiwani, reached the semi-finals of the 54kg bantamweight division in Belgrade. He secured a bronze medal after defeating 2016 Olympic silver medalist Yoel Finol of Venezuela by a unanimous decision in the quarterfinals.

Kumar’s achievement makes him the seventh Indian boxer to win a medal at the IBA World Championships. Despite facing personal tragedy with his mother’s failing health just before the competition, Kumar showed resilience and overcame mental barriers to secure the bronze in the competition.

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Deepak Kumar Bhoria – 2023

Deepak Kumar Bhoria earned India’s first medal at the 2023 Men’s Boxing World Championships by defeating Nurzhigit Diushebaev of Kyrgyzstan 5-0 in the 51kg flyweight division quarterfinals.

Deepak, silver medalist in the 2019 Asian Games, lost to two-time Worlds bronze medalist Billal Bennama of France in his semi-finals by split decision. The 25-year-old defeated Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist and 2021 World Championship gold medalist Bibossinov of Kazakhstan by 5-2 in R16.

Mohammed Hussamuddin – 2023

Mohammed Hussamuddin (57 kg) earned his first-ever Worlds medal after defeating Cuban-born Bulgarian boxer, Javier Ibanez Diaz by a split decision (4-3 after bout review) in the 57 kg quarterfinals of the 2023 Men’s Boxing World Championships.

The debutant at World Championship 2023, bowed out of the competition after nursing an injury in the quarter-finals.

Nishant Dev – 2023

Young southpaw Nishant Dev (71 kg) outshone Cuban Terry Jorge Cuellar 5-0 in the quarterfinals to earn his maiden medal at the World’s. Nishant improved on his quarter-final finish at the last World Championships by finishing a step further. The IIS athlete lost to Shymbergenov of Kazakhstan by split decision (2-5) in the semi-finals.