GREATER NOIDA, Jan 10: World Championships bronze medallist Mohammed Hussamuddin marked an emphatic return from a prolonged injury layoff with a gold medal in the 60kg category, while established stars Nikhat Zareen and Lovlina Borgohain also claimed titles at the National Boxing Championships here on Saturday.
The Services Sports Control Board (SSCB) underlined its dominance by finishing atop the medals table with a staggering 12 gold, including nine in the men’s section, reaffirming its depth and strength across weight categories.
Hussamuddin, who had been sidelined for several months following injury setbacks, produced a gritty performance to edge out fellow Services boxer and defending 60kg champion Sachin Siwach in a closely-fought final.
The bout ended in a narrow 3-2 split verdict after Hussamuddin overturned an early deficit with superior shot selection and ring control.
The 31-year-old started cautiously, allowing the younger Sachin to dictate terms in the opening round, but gradually asserted himself by landing cleaner combinations and counter-punches.
Confusion briefly followed at the end of the bout when the result was initially announced in Sachin’s favour before being corrected moments later.
“This title was very important for me as this year has a lot of tournaments coming up. After the injury, I needed to prove to myself and to others that I can still do it,” an emotional Hussamuddin said after the win.
One of the standout performers of the championships was World Cup medallist Jadumani Singh, who capped a dream run by clinching gold in the 55kg category and was later named the best male boxer of the tournament.
The 21-year-old Manipuri, who had earlier out-punched two-time Olympian and 2019 world championships silver medallist Amit Panghal in the semifinals, displayed remarkable composure and stamina to win a physically demanding final against fellow Services boxer Pawan Bartwal.
Services’ medal rush continued as Aditya Pratap caused a major upset by defeating defending champion Abhinash Jamwal of Himachal Pradesh 3-2 in the 65kg final. Jamwal had been among the most consistent performers last year, winning three silver medals at the World Cup.
In the women’s competition, Telangana’s Nikhat secured her third National Championships crown, defeating 2023 world champion Nitu Ghanghas of Haryana via unanimous decision in the 51kg final.
Tokyo Olympic bronze medallist Lovlina was equally authoritative, outclassing Railways’ Sanamacha Chanu 5-0 to take the 75kg title.
Having stayed out of action for most of 2025, the win will bolster both Nikhat and Lovlina’s confidence in a packed year that includes the Commonwealth Games and Asian Games.
“I have started the new year as a champion, which is great. My opponent today was herself a world champion, so the competition was tough. Winning against such quality boxers gives me confidence,” Nikhat said.
Reigning world champion Minakshi Hooda (48kg) of the All India Police lived up to expectations with another dominant gold-medal performance, while Asian Games bronze medallist Preeti Pawar of Services clinched the 54kg title and was adjudged the best female boxer of the championships.
Veteran Haryana boxer Pooja Rani further embellished her decorated career by winning her 10th National Championships gold, defeating state-mate Naina 5-0 in the 80kg final.
The other gold medallists included Railways boxers Prachi (57kg), Priya (60kg) and Alfiya Khan (80+kg), along with Services’ Pranjal Yadav (65kg) and Arundhati Choudhary (70kg), as SSCB’s overall dominance brought the curtain down on a championships marked by both high-quality boxing and recurring organisational controversies. (PTI)
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