CWG 2026: Narender enters men's 90kg+ boxing semifinals, assures India of another medal
Glasgow, July 29
India's Narender assured the country of another medal in boxing at the Commonwealth Games 2026 after defeating Samoa's Michael Seko by a hard-fought 3-2 split decision in the men's 90kg+ quarterfinals on Wednesday.
In a closely contested bout, Narender recovered strongly after dropping the opening round on one judge's scorecard and maintained his composure in the remaining rounds to edge past the Samoan heavyweight.
Three of the five judges scored the contest 28-27 in favour of the Indian, while the other two judges awarded it 28-27 to Seko, handing Narender a narrow but well-deserved split-decision victory.
The Indian heavyweight showcased grit and resilience, landing cleaner punches in the decisive exchanges to sway the majority of the judges in an intense battle between two evenly matched boxers.
With the victory, Narender advanced to the semifinals, thereby guaranteeing himself at least a bronze medal under the Commonwealth Games boxing format, where both losing semifinalists receive bronze medals.
He will now look to carry the momentum into the last four as he eyes a place in the final and a shot at the Commonwealth Games gold medal.
Narender's success further strengthened India's impressive boxing campaign in Glasgow, with several Indian pugilists progressing to the semifinals and keeping the country's hopes of a rich medal haul alive.
More to follow...
— IANS
Reader Comments
Happy for another medal but honestly, the 90kg+ category has become weaker over the years. Samoa's guy didn't look that impressive. Narender needs to step up his game if he wants to compete at global level. Still, good to see India dominating boxing at CWG.
Kya baat hai Narender! 🇮🇳 Split decision but that's how you win big fights. Boxing is not just about power, it's about technique and game management. He adapted well after the first round. These heavyweights need more international exposure though. BC mein bhi aise hi khelo!
Just hoping the judges don't snatch this one away like they sometimes do in close bouts. Happy Narender got the decision his performance deserved. India's boxing campaign is going strong this time, very proud moment for all of us!
Another medal in the bag for India! 🥉 Still chasing gold though. Narender is a good boxer but heavyweights in CWG aren't world class. Need to see stronger competition. Anyway, well done and good luck for the semis! Time to upgrade the bronze to a better color.
Impressive win, honestly didn't expect the Indian boxer to pull through in the heavyweight division. Usually smaller boxers from India dominate, but Narender showed real heart. Boxing in India is definitely on the rise. Hope he goes all the way!
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