CWG 2026: Ankush Panghal reaches men's 80kg final, guarantees India another boxing medal
Glasgow, July 31
Indian boxer Ankush Panghal advanced to the men's 80kg final at the Commonwealth Games 2026 after securing a dominant unanimous decision victory over Canada's Joshua Ofori in the semifinal on Friday, according to ESPN.
Ankush, who entered the semifinal after defeating Seychelles' Jade Micock in the previous round, displayed impressive speed, accuracy and composure throughout the bout to assure India of at least a silver medal.
The Indian started strongly in the opening round, landing clean combinations and effective punches to edge out Ofori, with all five judges awarding the round in his favour, according to ESPN.
Ofori looked to step up the aggression in the second round, but Ankush continued to dominate with precise punches. The Canadian also lost a point for a blow to the back of the head, leaving Ankush firmly in control as he secured another 5-0 round verdict.
In the final round, Ofori tried to make a comeback with aggressive attacks, but Ankush remained composed and defended well while landing key punches. The Indian boxer sealed the contest through a unanimous decision to book his place in the gold medal bout.
Ankush's victory adds to India's strong boxing campaign at the Commonwealth Games, with the Indian contingent continuing its impressive run in Glasgow.
Earlier in the day, Preeti Pawar stormed into the women's 54kg final at the Commonwealth Games 2026 with a dominant unanimous decision victory over Zambia's Catherine Mwape.
India has so far won 17 medals at the Commonwealth Games 2026, comprising three gold, nine silver and five bronze. The gold medals have come through Mirabai Chanu (women's 48kg weightlifting), Sharmila Dhankar (women's shot put F57) and Dilip Gavit (men's 100m T47). India have also claimed silver medals through Rishikanta Singh, Muthupandi Raja, Gyaneshwari Yadav, Sarvesh Kushare, Valluri Ajaya Babu, Harjinder Kaur, Gulveer Singh, Murali Sreeshankar, Mohammed Basil and Lovepreet Singh, while bronze medals have been won by Jhandu Kumar, Bindyarani Devi, Shilpa K Shyla and Seema Kaliramna.
— ANI
Reader Comments
Ankush's accuracy and composure were truly impressive. Every round he looked in complete control. And Preeti Pawar also reaching the final on the same day - what a day for Indian boxing! 17 medals and counting, this CWG campaign is going really well. 🥊
The calmness Ankush showed in the final round while defending Ofori's attacks was the difference. Many young boxers panic under pressure, but he stood his ground. Hats off to the coaching staff too. This medal is well deserved.
So happy to see our boxers perform consistently! Ankush winning all three rounds 5-0 is remarkable. Also great to see Preeti Pawar reach her final. The whole contingent is doing exceptionally well in Glasgow. 17 medals already and more to come hopefully! 🙌
Ankush's performance was clinical, no doubt. But I feel our medal tally of 17 - especially the gold count at 3 - is still lower than where we should be as a sporting nation. We need better grassroots investment and sports science support to truly compete with the top countries consistently. Hope the federation looks into this beyond the celebrations.
Fantastic performance by Ankush Panghal! The manner in which he dominated all three rounds shows the depth of boxing talent in India. With the likes of Preeti Pawar also in the final, Indian boxing has a very bright future ahead. All the best for the gold medal match!
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