Ankush Panghal Wins Gold at Asian Games 2026: 80kg Boxing Final
Ankush Panghal won the men's 80kg boxing gold at the 20th Asian Games in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan, on his Asian Games debut. On 2 October 2026 he beat South Korea's Kim Min-Seong in the final at Nishio, a 4-0 win, and became the first Indian man to win an Asian Games boxing gold since Amit Panghal in 2018. It was India's third boxing gold of the day, after Lovlina Borgohain (women's 75kg) and Parveen Hooda (women's 65kg). On the way to the final he beat Bahrain's Hamsa Vogel and Tajikistan's Nekruz Salimov, both 5-0, and Uzbekistan's reigning 75kg world champion Fazliddin Erkinboev 4-1.
Ankush Panghal at the Asian Games 2026
Ankush Panghal made his Asian Games debut in the men's 80kg category at Aichi-Nagoya 2026 and won the gold medal without losing a bout. He arrived as the reigning Commonwealth Games 80kg champion. His run: 5-0 decisions in his first two bouts, a 4-1 semi-final win over a world champion, and a 4-0 win over Kim Min-Seong in the final.
His quarter-final win over Nekruz Salimov on 27 September secured India's first boxing medal of these Games. The semi-final win on 29 September took him into the final, and the gold on 2 October made him the first Indian man to win an Asian Games boxing gold since Amit Panghal won the 49kg title at Jakarta 2018.
Ankush Panghal vs Kim Min-Seong: Final Match Details
The 80kg final was played at Nishio, Aichi prefecture, on Friday 2 October 2026. Ankush won the first round 4-1, helped by a warning point against Kim, and took the second round 5-0. In the last round Kim tried to fight back with counter-punching and movement, landing a few clean shots including a fast left uppercut, but his defence was loose and he took body shots. Ankush kept his lead on the judges' scorecards and was declared the winner.
| Detail | Final Result |
|---|---|
| Event | Men's 80kg Boxing Final, Asian Games 2026 |
| Date | 2 October 2026 (Friday) |
| Venue | Nishio, Aichi prefecture, Japan |
| Winner | Ankush Panghal (India) |
| Runner-up | Kim Min-Seong (South Korea) |
| Result | Ankush won 4-0 |
| Round 1 | Ankush 4-1 |
| Round 2 | Ankush 5-0 |
| Round 3 | Ankush kept his lead on the scorecards |
| Medals | Gold: Ankush Panghal (India) · Silver: Kim Min-Seong (South Korea) |
The gold came after Lovlina Borgohain won the women's 75kg final against China's Ziyi Bao and Parveen Hooda won the women's 65kg final earlier the same day, giving India three boxing golds in one day.
Ankush Panghal's Road to the 80kg Gold
| Round | Opponent | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Opening bout | Hamsa Vogel (Bahrain) | Won 5-0 |
| Quarter-final | Nekruz Salimov (Tajikistan) | Won 5-0 |
| Semi-final | Fazliddin Erkinboev (Uzbekistan) | Won 4-1 |
| Final (2 Oct) | Kim Min-Seong (South Korea) | Won 4-0 · Gold |
Semi-final comeback against Erkinboev
Erkinboev is the reigning 75kg world champion. Ankush lost the first round 1-4 on the judges' cards despite landing the cleaner punches, then took the second round 3-2 with sharper counter-punching and body shots. Trailing on one judge's card going into the last round, he dominated it 5-0 to win the bout 4-1.
Final against Kim Min-Seong
In the gold-medal bout Ankush used his speed and changed distance often, and Kim had to chase him. The 4-0 win made him the Asian Games champion.
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.
Asian Games 2026 Medal Tally
Check the latest Asian Games 2026 medal standings with country-wise rankings, gold medals, total medals and India's current position.
Ankush Panghal: India's Rising 80kg Boxer
Ankush Panghal (born 13 August 2005 in Haryana) is an Indian boxer who competes in the men's 80kg (light heavyweight) category. He is the Commonwealth Games 2026 gold medallist from Glasgow, a silver medallist at the 2025 World Boxing Cup Final in New Delhi, and now the Asian Games 2026 gold medallist. He hails from Hisar.
Ankush Panghal Age and Background
As of October 2026, Ankush Panghal is 21 years old, born on 13 August 2005. Some news reports describe him as 22, but his date of birth makes him 21. He is a Hisar-born boxer who trained at the Dr Subhash Chandra Foundation in his early days.
Ankush Panghal Wins Commonwealth Games 2026 Gold
At the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Ankush won the men's 80kg gold. He beat Antigua and Barbuda's Zalaan Jan in the round of 16 and Seychelles' Jade Micock in the quarter-final. In the semi-final he defeated Canada's Joshua Ofori by unanimous decision.
In the final he faced England's Dimeji Shittu and trailed 0-5 after the first round. He won the next two rounds and took the bout 4-1. It was India's seventh boxing gold at those Games, and he dedicated the medal to his family and the country.
World Boxing Cup Silver and Grand Prix Gold
At the 2025 World Boxing Cup Final in New Delhi, Ankush won silver in the 80kg category, finishing runner-up to England's Dimeji Shittu, the same boxer he later beat in Glasgow. In July 2026 he won the 80kg gold at the Grand Prix in Usti nad Labem, Czechia.
Ankush Panghal: Major Results
| Year | Event | Category | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | World Boxing Cup Final (New Delhi) | 80kg | Silver |
| 2026 | Grand Prix Usti nad Labem (Czechia) | 80kg | Gold |
| 2026 | Commonwealth Games (Glasgow) | 80kg | Gold |
| 2026 | Asian Games (Aichi-Nagoya) | 80kg | Gold |
Ankush Panghal Final Result and Next Event
Ankush Panghal won the men's 80kg final against Kim Min-Seong of South Korea on 2 October 2026, a 4-0 win that gave him the Asian Games gold. His Asian Games campaign is over. His next event has not been confirmed yet, so this section will be updated once it is announced.
Ankush Panghal Honours & Milestones
Asian Games Gold
Men's 80kg, Aichi-Nagoya (debut)
Commonwealth Games Gold
Men's 80kg, Glasgow
Grand Prix Gold
80kg, Usti nad Labem, Czechia
World Boxing Cup Silver
80kg, Final in New Delhi
Why Ankush Panghal's Run Matters
- First Indian man to win Asian Games boxing gold since Amit Panghal in 2018
- Beat a reigning 75kg world champion in the semi-final
- Commonwealth Games gold, won after trailing 0-5 in the first round of the final
- Won all four of his Asian Games bouts
From Hisar to the top of the Asian Games podium, Ankush Panghal has added Asian Games gold to his Commonwealth Games 2026 title in the same year.