Glasgow, July 29: India's boxing contingent moved another step closer to a rich medal haul at the Commonwealth Games 2026 as reigning Asian champion Priya
Ghanghas, Asian Games bronze medallist Preeti Pawar and Jadumani Singh Mandengbam stormed into the semifinals of their respective categories on Tuesday (July 28), guaranteeing themselves at least bronze medals.
While Preeti (54kg) produced a dominant display to blank Northern Ireland's Nicole Clyde 5-0 and Jadumani (55kg) outclassed Zambia's Mwengo Mwale by the same margin, Priya (60kg) delivered the performance of the day by fighting back to defeat home favourite Niamh Mitchell 4-1 in front of a vocal Scottish crowd.
The victories further strengthened India's boxing campaign in Glasgow, with the trio becoming the latest Indian pugilists to assure themselves of podium finishes.
However, it was a disappointing day for Parveen Hooda (65kg) and Kapil Pokhariya (90kg), whose campaigns came to an end after quarterfinal defeats. Parveen lost a closely fought contest 2-3 against England's Sacha Hickey, while Kapil went down to Scotland's Robert McNulty.
Priya Silences the Home Crowd
Priya Ghanghas showcased remarkable composure under pressure as she overcame both her opponent and the partisan atmosphere.
Competing against Scotland's Niamh Mitchell, the Haryana boxer found herself trailing after the opening round despite matching the home favourite blow for blow. Four of the five judges awarded the first round to Mitchell as the Scottish supporters roared every successful punch. But Priya refused to panic.
The reigning Asian champion raised the intensity in the second round, constantly moving forward and forcing Mitchell into defensive mode with crisp combinations. Both boxers received a point deduction during the round-Priya for repeatedly lowering her head and Mitchell for excessive clinching-but the Indian comfortably took the round by a 4-1 margin.
With the bout delicately poised entering the final round, Priya maintained her aggression while landing the cleaner punches to secure a memorable split-decision victory. The judges scored the contest 28-27, 28-27, 27-28, 28-27 and 29-26 in her favour.
After the bout, Priya summed up the special victory with a smile. "Yehi toh feeling hai, Scotland mein Scotland ko haraana. " The Haryana girl will now face Canada's Jessica Boultbee in the semifinal.
Preeti Pawar Barely Breaks a Sweat
If Priya's victory was built on resilience, Preeti Pawar's win was one-sided from start to finish. Facing Northern Ireland's Nicole Clyde-an opponent she had trained with during India's preparatory camp in Belfast-the Asian Games bronze medallist dictated proceedings from the opening bell.
Despite conceding height, Preeti's superior movement, speed and punch accuracy left Clyde chasing shadows. Her sharp combinations earned her the opening round comfortably, with four judges scoring it 10-9 and one awarding a dominant 10-8.
The second round followed a similar pattern as Preeti continued to control the distance and land clean scoring punches. With the result virtually sealed, she boxed smartly in the final round to complete a flawless unanimous-decision victory.
The win secured the first Commonwealth Games medal of her career. Preeti will now meet Zambia's Catherine Mwape in the semifinal.
Jadumani Keeps India's Medal Charge Rolling
Jadumani Singh Mandengbam also booked his place in the semifinals with an authoritative performance against Zambia's Mwengo Mwale in the men's 55kg quarterfinal.
The Manipuri boxer controlled the contest from the outset with excellent footwork, disciplined defence and accurate counter-punching. He never allowed Mwale to settle into a rhythm and consistently landed the cleaner shots throughout the three rounds.
All five judges scored the contest in Jadumani's favour as he advanced with a comprehensive 5-0 unanimous decision, assuring India of another boxing medal.
India's Boxing Momentum Builds
The latest victories continue India's impressive run inside the boxing ring in Glasgow.
With several Indian boxers now through to the semifinals, the contingent has firmly established itself as one of the strongest medal contenders in the sport at the Commonwealth Games 2026.
As the tournament enters its decisive phase, India will now look to convert these assured bronze medals into silver and gold in the coming days.
