"Proud moment for us that India is hosting World Cup Finals": Two-time World Champion Nikhat Zareen

Greater Noida (Uttar Pradesh) [India], November 15 (ANI): The World Boxing Cup Finals 2025 officially come to life on Sunday in Greater Noida, the opening ceremony kicking off what promises to be a landmark week in global boxing.

Earlier, the draw delivered India a mix of strong opportunities and high-pressure tests, with World Champion Minakshi Hooda, Preeti, Narender Berwal and Ankush Phangal leading the hosts' Day 1 campaign. After a landmark World Championships in 2023, this marks India's first major international boxing tournament on home soil, signalling the country's renewed presence on the global stage.

India's campaign opens with a high-stakes opener as World Championships Liverpool 2025 gold medalist Minakshi (48kg) collides with Kazakhstan's Bolat Akbota, followed by a tense, tactical showdown between Preeti (54kg) and Uzbekistan's Nigina Uktamova, a former Youth World champion and an Asiad medal to her name- the winner of this bout will be earning a blockbuster meeting against Olympic medalist and top seed, Huang Hsiao-Wen of Chinese Taipei.

On World Boxing Cup Finals, two-time World Champion Nikhat Zareen said, "It's a proud moment for us that India is hosting the World Cup finals. I will be playing in front of the home crowd after 2023. I will give my best. I hope I come out as the winner and go back as a champion..."

The men's draw brings equally fierce action, featuring a high-octane clash between Ankush Phangal (80kg) and Japan's Go Wakaya, a silver medalist from the previous iteration of the World Boxing Cup Finals in Sheffield, known for his range and quickness. Meanwhile, Narender Berwal (90+kg), the Asian Games and World Cup bronze medalist, will lock into a power-packed quarterfinal against Ukraine's King's Cup 2025 gold medalist Andrii Khaletskyi. Later in the tournament, Brazil World Cup gold medalist Hitesh is primed for a marquee 70kg battle with top seed Sewon Okazawa, as two-time World Champ Nikhat Zareen dives straight into a semifinal showdown with Uzbek Ganieva Gulsevar.

Addressing the gathering, Ajay Singh, BFI President said, "This truly is a celebration of excellence. We have the top boxers from the world coming here, on this stage, and competing to be the champions. This is a great moment for the sportsperson, a great moment for our country. On behalf of 1.4 billion Indians, I welcome you all. I appreciate the effort of all the organisers, partners, and volunteers, and reaffirm that India is fully committed to supporting World Boxing now and in the future, for many, many such championships," as quoted from a release by Boxing Federation of India (BFI).

Kicking off the tournament in style, the opening ceremony offered a powerful glimpse of the scale and prestige surrounding the event on Saturday evening, featuring a striking lamp-lighting segment and a march-past of all participating countries. The evening also showcased a vibrant blend of music and dance, capturing the cultural richness of India through a beautifully curated performance as the Games were formally declared open. Boxing Federation of India (BFI) President Ajay Singh, World Boxing Cup Organizing Secretary and General Secretary, BFI, Pramod Kumar, and Acting World Boxing Secretary General Mike McAtee presided over the ceremony, officially opening the tournament.

"In our country, boxing is not just a sport; it is a religion. With each victory, with each gold medal that our boxers get, we have hundreds and hundreds of young children who take to the sport, who are inspired to believe that even they can do it. Boxing contributes not just medals, it fuels whole generations. My very, very best wishes to all the athletes," Singh added.

The Finale Championships, staged from November 16-20 at the Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex, bring together more than 120 elite boxers from 15 nations, marking one of the most competitive fields in the tournament's young history. Every weight category with ten for men and ten for women, features a maximum of eight contenders, each selected through the Official World Boxing Rankings, ensuring high impact and quality competition.

Speaking on the occasion, Mike McAtee, Acting World Boxing Secretary General added : "It's an honour and privilege to be here in India, to be part of the first World Boxing Cup Finals. It could not have happened without the great leadership of (BFI) President (Ajay) Singh, the Boxing Federation of India, the Boxers, the coaches, the officials, the fans, and the country as a whole, which has gotten behind this event. Having witnessed firsthand the boxers develop from Brazil to India this year, the boxing will be amazing."

The ceremony saw the presence of key dignitaries, among them Surinder Singh (Block Pramukh), Krishna (Administrator, Shaheed Vijay Singh Pathik Sports Complex), R.P. Singh (Sports Director, UP Government), and Rajya Sabha MP Surendra Singh Naagar, along with Pramod Kumar (Secretary General, BFI) and Pon Baskaran (Treasurer,BFI), all of whom joined in formally inaugurating the event.

The Finale Championships is particularly meaningful for India, which hosts the event for the first time with a full 20-member lineup across all weight classes. The home boxers now have a rare chance to measure themselves against Olympic and world-level competition. India also entered with strong form and six medals, including a gold, in Stage 1 in Brazil and 11 medals with three golds in Stage 3 in Kazakhstan.

Every win here also carries crucial ranking points, making each bout vital for the Indians' international standing. (ANI)

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