Jadumani Singh at Asian Games 2026: 55kg Boxing Result & Profile

Jadumani Singh arrives at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan for his first appearance at the continental showpiece, fresh off a breakout Commonwealth Games campaign in Glasgow. His bouts took place at the Nishio Gymnasium.

The men's 55kg division at the Asian Games is one of the toughest brackets in world boxing, dominated by Olympic and World Championship medallists from Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and China. Jadumani opened with a composed 5-0 win over Nepal's Chandra Bahadur Thapa in the round of 32 on 22 September, controlling the bout from the first round and forcing a standing count in the third with a strong left hook. In the round of 16 on 26 September he faced the Philippines' Carlo Paalam, the Tokyo Olympic silver medallist and a big step up in class. Paalam used his speed to take the opening round on all five cards, the middle round was cagey, and although Jadumani pushed hard in the final three minutes, Paalam held on to win a split decision (two judges scored it 29-27 and one 30-26 for Paalam, with two at 28-28). Paalam advanced to the quarterfinals, ending Jadumani's first Asian Games campaign.

This is Japan's third time hosting the Asian Games, with 43 sports and 469 events. Read our complete guide to Asian Games 2026 in Nagoya, Japan, check the Asian Games 2026 India schedule, and see where to watch Asian Games 2026 live in India.

Jadumani Singh Mandengbam (born 5 May 2004 in Iroishemba, near Imphal in Manipur) is an Indian boxer competing in the men's 55kg category. He is a 2026 Commonwealth Games silver medallist, and is now making his debut at the 2026 Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya after a rapid rise through the national ranks in 2025 and 2026.

Jadumani Singh's rise from a village near Imphal to a Commonwealth Games medallist and Asian Games debutant is one of Indian boxing's freshest stories. A compact, aggressive southpaw who has repeatedly overcome height and reach disadvantages with footwork and ring craft, he made a bold career decision to move up from the 50kg category to the Olympic-standard 55kg division and has not looked back since.

Jadumani Singh was born on 5 May 2004 in Iroishemba, a village near Imphal in Manipur. As a child he dreamed of becoming a footballer, and despite his family's preference that he focus on academics, he often found time to play the sport before his uncle introduced him to boxing. At a district-level tournament, he received encouragement and cash prizes from Indian boxing legends MC Mary Kom and L Sarita Devi, which motivated him to pursue the sport more seriously. His family remained a constant source of support through his training, including during the period of ethnic unrest in Manipur.

Jadumani has since credited veteran boxer L Sarita Devi with playing a defining role in shaping his career, saying her guidance and belief were central to his Commonwealth Games silver.

Jadumani's Commonwealth Games debut in Glasgow was the platform that announced him internationally. He won four straight bouts beating Scotland's Aaron Cullen, Pakistan's Sumama Rehman (a bout he dedicated to "the Kargil heroes"), Zambia's Mwengo Mwale and Namibia's Philip Haoseb before meeting Australia's Jye Dixon in the men's 55kg final. He fought hard but lost by unanimous decision, settling for silver in his maiden appearance at the Games.

• 2025: Won silver in the 50kg category at the World Boxing Cup Finals in Greater Noida, after reaching the semifinal at Stage I of the World Boxing Cup in Foz do Iguaçu, Brazil (bronze).
• Early 2026: Made the decision, against his family's initial wishes, to move up from the non-Olympic 50kg category to the Olympic-standard 55kg division.
• 2026 National Trials: Beat former world medallist Amit Panghal in the semifinal and Pawan Bartwal in the final to win the national 55kg title and book his place at the Commonwealth and Asian Games.

Not every result in 2026 has gone Jadumani's way. At the Asian Boxing Championships in Ulaanbaatar, he was eliminated in the round of 16, going down 2-3 in a closely contested split decision to Japan's Rui Yamaguchi, the top seed in the category. The defeat meant he missed out on the direct Asian Games qualification reserved for finalists, though his existing national ranking and Commonwealth Games form kept him in India's squad for Nagoya.

2026 has been the year Jadumani Singh established himself as one of India's leading young boxers cutting his weight-class transition short, winning the national title, medalling at the Commonwealth Games and competing at his first Asian Games, all inside a single season.

Jadumani's Asian Games 2026 campaign is complete: he won his round of 32 bout and lost to Carlo Paalam in the round of 16 on 26 September. His next event has not been confirmed yet; this section will be updated once it is announced.

Jadumani's career-best result remains his 2026 Commonwealth Games silver at 55kg, achieved in his maiden appearance at the Games and just months after moving up from the 50kg category.

• Commonwealth Games Silver Medallist (2026): Silver in the men's 55kg boxing event at Glasgow, his maiden Commonwealth Games appearance.
• Prime Ministerial Recognition: Congratulated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his Commonwealth Games silver medal performance.
• National 55kg Champion (2026): Won the national title by beating former world medallist Amit Panghal and Pawan Bartwal.
• World Boxing Cup Silver (2025): Silver medal in the 50kg category at the World Boxing Cup Finals in Greater Noida.

He also reached the quarterfinals of the Asian U-22 and Youth Championships earlier in his career, and gained international ring experience competing across Asia, Europe and South America before his breakthrough 2026 season.

Jadumani lined up as part of an 11-strong Indian boxing contingent at the 2026 Asian Games alongside fellow men's boxers Sachin Siwach (60kg), Sumit Kundu (70kg), Ankush Panghal (80kg), Kapil Pokhariya (90kg) and Narender Berwal (+90kg), with Olympic medallist Lovlina Borgohain leading the women's team. His round of 16 opponent in Nagoya, the Philippines' Carlo Paalam, is a Tokyo Olympic silver medallist and one of the most experienced campaigners in the category, while Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan and China remain the traditional powerhouses of Asian amateur boxing at 55kg.

Jadumani Singh's career is still in its early chapters, but its trajectory is already notable.

• Moved up from a non-Olympic weight category to 55kg and won a Commonwealth Games silver within months, against his own family's initial doubts
• Beat former world medallist Amit Panghal en route to the national 55kg title in 2026
• One of Manipur's newest boxing prospects, mentored by former world champion L Sarita Devi
• Made his Asian Games debut in Nagoya in one of the toughest weight categories in continental boxing, winning his opening bout 5-0

From dreaming of football in Iroishemba to a Commonwealth Games podium and an Asian Games debut in Aichi-Nagoya, Jadumani Singh's story is just beginning, with a first Asian Games medal the target for the next cycle.