CWG 2026: Ankush, Narender Berwal storm into boxing semifinals
Glasgow, July 29
Indian boxers Ankush and Narender Berwal advanced to the Commonwealth Games 2026 semifinals on Wednesday. Ankush defeated Seychelles' Jade Micock 5-0 in the men's 80kg quarterfinal, while Narender edged past Samoa's Michael Seko in a close men's 90+kg contest to secure his place in the last four, according to ESPN.
Ankush controlled the bout from the start, taking the initiative with aggressive punches and effective movement. The Indian boxer landed a strong left hook in the opening round and kept Micock under pressure, with all five judges awarding him the round, according to ESPN.
The 19-year-old Micock struggled to match Ankush's intensity in the second round as the Indian continued to find success with his left-hand punches and maintained control of the contest. Once again, all five judges ruled in Ankush's favour.
With a semifinal place within reach, Ankush adopted a more measured approach in the final round, avoiding unnecessary risks while keeping his opponent at bay. He comfortably sealed the bout with another unanimous 5-0 decision and assured India of one more medal.
Narender Berwal, on the other hand, also confirmed a medal as he reached the men's 90+kg semifinals after edging past Michael Seko in a closely fought quarterfinal.
Narender prevailed with a 3-2 split decision in a thrilling contest that went down to the wire. Both boxers showed signs of fatigue in the final round, but Narender landed a crucial blow that forced the referee to start a count against Seko. The Samoan boxer recovered and continued, setting up a tense finish.
The Indian boxer managed to do enough to impress the judges and sealed the victory, securing another Commonwealth Games medal for India.
Narender's win marked the fifth Indian boxer to reach the semifinals on Wednesday, adding to a successful day for the country's boxing contingent in Glasgow. Earlier, Sachin Siwach advanced to the men's 60kg semifinals after defeating Botswana's Treasure Moremi by a unanimous decision, and Arundhati Choudhary and Sakshi Chaudhary also secured respective places in the boxing semifinals.
So far, India has won 12 medals -- two gold, seven silver and three bronze.
India's medallists are Mirabai Chanu (gold, weightlifting), Sharmila Dhankar (gold, women's shot put F57), Rishikanta Singh (silver, weightlifting), Muthupandi Raja (silver, weightlifting), Gyaneshwari Yadav (silver, weightlifting), Sarvesh Kushare (silver, men's high jump), Gulveer Singh (silver, men's 10,000m), Harjinder Kaur (silver, weightlifting), Valluri Ajaya Babu (silver, weightlifting), Bindyarani Devi (bronze, weightlifting), Shilpa K. Shyla (bronze, women's shot put F57) and Jhandu Kumar (bronze, para powerlifting).
— ANI
Reader Comments
So proud of our boxers! Ankush's left hook in the first round sounded devastating. And Narender's composure under pressure is commendable. 12 medals already and counting - this is India's best showing at CWG in a while. Keep punching! 👊
Good to see both male and female boxers doing well. But I hope the federation plans better for the finals - we've seen many times Indian boxers run out of steam in crucial matches. Ankush's measured approach in the third round was smart though. Let's hope for gold! 🥊
Damn, that Narender vs Seko bout sounded intense! The referee counting against Seko in the final round must have been nerve-wracking. Great that our boxers are confirming medals early. 12 medals so far but we need more gold to top the table. Come on India! 🇮🇳
Ankush's unanimous decision shows our technical boxing is improving. But i wish we had more depth in heavyweight categories - Narender's close fight shows the gap still exists. Still, credit to the coaching staff for preparing them well. Now convert these semifinal wins into gold! 🥇
Love seeing our boxing contingent shine! Ankush's aggressive style is thrilling to watch. And nice to see Sachin Siwach, Arundhati and Sakshi also reaching semis - this is a real team effort. 5 boxers in semis on one day is incredible. Proud moment for Indian sports! ❤️
We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.