Lovlina Borgohain, Nikhat Zareen to lead India at World Boxing Championships 2025 in England
20-member squad named for Sept 4–14 event featuring 550 boxers from 65 nations, including 17 Paris Olympic medallists.
Tokyo 2020 bronze medallist Lovlina Borgohain and Nikhat Zareen will spearhead a 20-member Indian contingent at the World Boxing Championships 2025, scheduled to begin September 4 in England.
The inaugural edition of the championships, organised by World Boxing – the newly formed global governing body for the sport – will take place at the M&S Bank Arena and conclude on September 14. Over 550 boxers from more than 65 nations, including 17 Paris 2024 Olympic medallists, are set to compete across 20 weight divisions (10 men’s and 10 women’s).
The India squad was finalised in July following a week-long assessment at the National Institute of Sports (NIS) in Patiala. Borgohain will compete in the 75kg category, Zareen in 51kg, while Olympian Pooja Rani will box in the 80kg category. This marks the return of Borgohain and Zareen to international competition since Paris 2024.
Other notable Indian boxers include Asian Games bronze medallist Narender Berwal (90 kg) and World Boxing Cup gold medallists Hitesh Gulia (70kg) and Abhinash Jamwal (65kg). The championships will follow a knockout format, with semi-final losers awarded bronze medals. Each bout will feature three three-minute rounds, judged using the “Ten Point Must” system. Quarter-finals start on September 10, semi-finals on September 12-13, and finals on September 14.
Live streaming of the championships will be available on the World Boxing YouTube channel in India. There will be no live TV broadcast in the country.
Indian squad – World Boxing Championships 2025:
Women: Meenakshi Hooda (48kg), Nikhat Zareen (51kg), Sakshi (54kg), Jaismine Lamboria (57kg), Sanju Khatri (60kg), Neeraj Phogat (60kg), Sanamacha Chanu (70kg), Lovlina Borgohain (75kg), Pooja Rani (80kg), Nupur Sheoran (80 kg)
Men: Jadumani Singh Mandengbam (50kg), Pawan Bartwal (55kg), Sachin Siwach Jr (60kg), Abhinash Jamwal (65kg), Hitesh Gulia (70kg), Sumit Kundu (75kg), Lakshya Chahar (80kg), Jugnoo Ahlawat (85kg), Harsh Chaudhary (90kg), Narender Berwal (90 kg)
Key preliminary and final rounds schedule (IST):
* Sept 4-10: Preliminary rounds across men’s and women’s categories
* Sept 12-13: Semi-finals
* Sept 14: Finals, 20 world champions to be crowned