India’s World Boxing Cup campaign begins with Lakshya Chahar’s defeat

India’s campaign at the first World Boxing Cup began on a disappointing note as Lakshya Chahar lost his opening 80kg bout to Brazil’s Wanderley Pereira in Foz do Iguacu.

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The reigning national light heavyweight champion, Chahar, suffered a 0-5 unanimous decision defeat to the 2023 World Championship silver medallist and Paris Olympian in the pre-quarterfinals at the Rafain Palace Hotel and Convention late Monday night.

It was always going to be a tough task for the Indian, and Pereira proved to be far superior in the ring. All but one judge gave him 30, giving the Brazilian a total of 149 out of a possible 150 points, while Chahar finished with 135.

Three Indian boxers—Jadumani Singh Mandengbam (50kg), Nikhil Dubey (75kg), and Jugnoo (85kg)—will step into the ring on day two of the six-day tournament.

The 20-year-old Jadumani faces a tough challenge against last year’s World Boxing Cup silver medallist Ellis Trowbridge of Great Britain in a bid for a semifinal spot. Nikhil will take on Brazil’s Kaue Belini in the quarterfinals, while Jugnoo will battle France’s Abdoulaye Traore for a place in the last eight.

This is the first event hosted by World Boxing since receiving provisional recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in February, and the inclusion of the sport in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics. It also marks the first time elite Indian boxers are competing on the international circuit since the Paris Olympics.

Additionally, it is the first international competition where Indian boxers are participating in the new weight categories introduced by World Boxing.