Top five youngsters who are the future of Indian boxing

These pugilists could be the next big thing in the international circuit.

Ever since Vijendra Singh and Mary Kom won medals at the Olympics, Indian boxing had been looking for another medal winner at the quadrennial event. The search ended with Lovlina Borgohain as she won a bronze medal at the Tokyo Olympics. She achieved the milestone in the women's 69kg welterweight category.

A total of nine Indian boxers had qualified for the Tokyo Olympics, but only one returned with a medal. This raises a question regarding the future of boxing in India. Although many Indian pugilists have shone brightly in different international tournaments, the search for boxing stars who can replicate the success of Olympic medal winners is still underway. 

The boxing talent pool in India has witnessed immense growth with young pugilists shining at the International level. There is plenty of upcoming boxing talent in the country who will most likely be the future of Indian boxing. Let's take a look at five such boxing sensations that can make it big for the country. 

5. Biswamitra Chongtham 

Hailing from a small village in Manipur, Biswamitra Chongtham is one of the brightest upcoming boxers in India. He competes in the 49kg weight category. The pugilist recently won the gold medal in the 51kg category at the 2021 ASBC Asian Youth Boxing Championships in Dubai. He beat Uzbekistan's Kuziboev Ahmadjon 4-1 in the 51kg final after a hard-fought battle. Notably, he is also an Asian junior champion and has a bright future ahead of him. 

4. Alfiya Khan 

The International boxer from Nagpur, Alfiya Khan has taken the Indian junior boxing circuit by storm with her consistent performances on both national and international levels. The 18-year-old has been on a winning spree since 2016 after she bagged a silver in 80kg at the National School Games. In addition, she also won gold from the Khelo India Games as well as the Junior Nationals.

However, she came into the limelight after she was crowned the 2019 Asian junior champion in the +80kg category. Recently in the 2021 Adriatic Pearl Tournament in Montenegro, she concluded her campaign with a gold medal in the +81kg category. Moreover, she was the runner-up of the recent Youth National Boxing Championships. The southpaw currently trains under coach Ganesh Purohit in Nagpur. 

3. Arundhati Chaudhary

She recently scripted history by becoming the first boxer in the men and women category from Rajasthan to claim a world championship title in boxing. She won the gold medal in the 69kg category at the AIBA World Youth Championships.  

Also a three-time gold medalist at the Khelo India Youth Games, Arundhati holds various International titles to her name. She won gold medals in the 7th National Cup in Serbia (2018) and Valeria Demyanova International Tournament in 2017. The Indian boxer also won a bronze medal at the ASBC Youth Asian Men & Women Championship, Mongolia in 2019 in the 69kg weight category. She now aims to represent India 1at the highest sporting spectacle, the Olympics. 

2. Vinka 

Hailing from Haryana, Vinka is an amateur boxer who is one of the most promising youth women boxers to emerge from India. She fights in the 64kg category and holds various national and international titles to her name. The 19-year-old won bronze at Boxem International Youth Tournament, Spain in the 64kg category. Further, she recently won the gold medal in the 2021 AIBA World Youth Boxing Championships in the 60kg category. Vinka is eagerly waiting for the upcoming tournaments. 

1. Rohit Chamoli 

The 16-year-old Rohit Chamoli is another youth boxing sensation in India. Based out of Chandigarh, Rohit became the 2021 Junior Asian Champion by winning a gold medal in the boys' 48kg category. This was his first International title.  

Coming from a struggling background with his father working as a cook in Mohali, Rohit has made his parents proud with various national titles as well. He is the current national junior champion in the 48kg category. Moreover, the youngster trains under coach Joginder Kumar in Chandigarh. He wishes to win an Olympic medal for the country. 

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