How to move up
The pathway
The two routes Indian boxers use to reach national teams, scholarships and the Olympics.
School route (SGFI)
- District and state school games, entered through the school and the District Education Office.
- State gold earns a place at the National School Games (U-14, U-17, U-19).
- National School Games medals count for Gujarat's Shaktidoot scheme and Khelo India selection.
Utkarsh is on this route: Gujarat U-17 State Champion 2026. Next stop: National School Games U-17 boxing, Imphal, 4th week of October 2026.
Federation route (BFI)
- Join through a club affiliated to the state boxing unit recognised by BFI. Entries go through the state association, not individually.
- State championships, then BFI Nationals: Sub-Junior (U-15), Junior (U-17), Youth (U-19), Elite.
- National medals lead to national camps, Khelo India, Services/Railways jobs, and international selection.
Moksha's +92 kg class matches the Olympic +90 kg class. Next targets: Khel Mahakumbh 2026-27 and state selection for the Elite Nationals.
Olympic weights for LA 2028Men: 55, 60, 65, 70, 80, 90, +90 kg · Women: 51, 54, 57, 60, 65, 70, 75 kg. Qualification runs 1 Apr 2027 to 31 May 2028, starting with the 2027 World Boxing Championships.
Official India
Federations & government
Pages marked Live carry the newest circulars, notices and results. Check them regularly.
KeyBoxing Federation of India (BFI)National body for amateur boxing. Events, camps, selection policy, results.boxingfederation.in
LiveBFI news, circulars & noticesPress releases, camp lists, assessment schedules, coach notices.boxingfederation.in/latest-news-and-releases
LiveBFI national championshipsDraws, schedules and results for each National.boxingfederation.in/category/national-events
KeyBFI Competition Calendar 2026 (PDF)All domestic and international events planned for 2026.BFI calendar PDF
LiveBFI on XFastest source for selections and results.x.com/BFI_official
LiveSchool Games Federation of India (SGFI)National School Games circulars, calendar and results.sgfi.org.in
Sports Authority of India (SAI)National Centres of Excellence, regional centres incl. SAI Gandhinagar, schemes.sportsauthorityofindia.nic.in
Khelo IndiaKhelo India Games, Khelo India Athlete scholarship, accredited academies.kheloindia.gov.in
Ministry of Youth Affairs & SportsTOPS, National Sports Development Fund, awards and welfare schemes.yas.gov.in
Indian Olympic AssociationTeam India for the Olympics, Asian Games and Commonwealth Games.olympic.ind.in
Fit IndiaFitness programmes and school fitness certificates.fitindia.gov.in
SGFI 2025-26 calendar (PDF)Last season's schedule, useful to see when each age group usually competes.sgfi.org.in calendar PDF
Khelo India Athlete scholarshipAthletes selected to accredited Khelo India academies receive ₹1.20 lakh a year as pocket allowance, plus training, food, stay and education at the academy. Selection is based on Khelo India Games and National results.
Home state
Gujarat
State portals, Khel Mahakumbh and the schemes that fund Gujarat's athletes.
LiveSports Authority of Gujarat (SAG)Notices, schemes, sports policy and online applications. Helpline 1800 274 6151.sportsauthority.gujarat.gov.in
LiveKhel Mahakumbh portalRegistration, district schedules, venues and results.khelmahakumbh.gujarat.gov.in
Khel Mahakumbh loginLog in with your KMK ID. Use the same ID for every sport.khelmahakumbh.gujarat.gov.in/login
LiveSAG on XScheme launches and announcements.x.com/sagofficialpage
Swarnim Gujarat Sports UniversityState sports university at Desar, Vadodara district. Sports science and coaching courses.sgsu.gujarat.gov.in
GIST sports information portalSummaries of Shaktidoot, DLSS, Centres of Excellence and state awards.gist-sgsu.gujarat.gov.in
Khel Mahakumbh 2026-27
| Stage | Dates | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Registration | 29 Aug – 22 Sep 2026 | Closed. Over 76 lakh players registered. |
| Local, zone and district rounds | From late Sep 2026 | Underway. Check the portal for your district's boxing date and venue. |
| State round (boxing) | To be announced | Watch the portal's schedule page. |
Gujarat schemes for athletes
New 2026Shaktidoot 2.0Launched 12 Aug 2026. Up to ₹50 lakh a year for diet, equipment, coaching in India and abroad, and medical support. Open from age 9 and up. "Shaktidoot B" gives quick support to strong performers not yet enrolled.
DLSS (District Level Sports Schools)Free education, training, kit and competition support. 39 schools across Gujarat.
In-School, Centre of Excellence, Khel Pratibha PuraskarTop Khel Mahakumbh and National performers become eligible. Watch the SAG notices page.
Gujarat's boxing associationAsk the District Sports Officer, Vadodara, or BFI which Gujarat boxing unit is currently affiliated to BFI. Results from unofficial "federations" do not count for BFI or SAI selection.
International
World bodies
World Boxing now governs Olympic boxing. India's federation (BFI) is a member.
KeyWorld BoxingOlympic-recognised federation. Rules, calendar, results, LA 2028 qualification.worldboxing.org
LA 2028 qualification system (PDF)How boxers qualify for the Los Angeles Olympics.worldboxing.org PDF
Asian BoxingAsian Championships and age-group events.asianboxing.org
Olympics.com boxingOlympic boxing news, athlete stories and results.olympics.com
LiveThe Ring pound-for-poundProfessional rankings and lineal titles.ringmagazine.com
BoxRecProfessional fight records database (free login).boxrec.com
WBCPro world titles and ratings.wbcboxing.com
WBAPro world titles and ratings.wbaboxing.com
IBFPro world titles and ratings.ibf-usba-boxing.com
2025 – 2026
Latest results
India's best-ever run in amateur boxing.
| When | Event | India's result |
|---|---|---|
| Sep–Oct 2026 | Asian Games, Aichi-Nagoya | Bronze: Narender Berwal (+90 kg), Priya Ghanghas (60 kg), Kapil Pokhariya (90 kg). Finals on 2 Oct: Lovlina Borgohain (75 kg), Parveen Hooda (65 kg), Ankush Panghal (80 kg). Results to be added. |
| Jul–Aug 2026 | Commonwealth Games, Glasgow | 7 gold, 3 silver, India's best ever. Gold: Sakshi Chaudhary, Preeti Pawar, Jaismine Lamboria, Priya Ghanghas, Arundhati Choudhary, Sachin Siwach, Ankush Panghal. |
| Jul 2026 | Asian U-19 / U-23 Championships, Jakarta | Six U-19 men's medals assured. |
| May 2026 | Asian U-15 Championships, Tashkent | 27 medals, 9 gold. |
| Mar–Apr 2026 | Asian Championships, Ulaanbaatar | 16 medals, 5 gold (Minakshi Hooda, Preeti Pawar, Priya Ghanghas, Arundhati Choudhary, Vishvanath Suresh). |
| Mar 2026 | World Boxing Futures Cup U-19, Bangkok | 5 medals, gold for Chandrika Pujari (51 kg). |
| Sep 2025 | World Boxing Championships, Liverpool | World champions Jaismine Lamboria (57 kg) and Minakshi Hooda (48 kg). Silver Nupur Sheoran, bronze Pooja Rani. |
Professional boxing
- Heavyweight: Oleksandr Usyk (25-0) stopped Rico Verhoeven in Giza, May 2026. Daniel Dubois won the WBO title against Fabio Wardley, May 2026. Tyson Fury beat Arslanbek Makhmudov, April 2026. Joshua vs Fury is reported for late 2026, date not confirmed.
- Naoya Inoue beat Junto Nakatani at the Tokyo Dome, May 2026, and remains undisputed super bantamweight champion.
- David Benavidez won the WBA and WBO cruiserweight titles, May 2026. Shakur Stevenson beat Teofimo Lopez, Jan 2026. Terence Crawford has retired.
- Coming up: Benavidez vs Cieslak (12 Dec 2026), Bivol vs Callum Smith (Dec 2026).
What's next
Calendar
Dates change often. Always confirm on the official page before travelling.
| Dates | Event | Venue | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Oct 2026 | Asian Games boxing finals | Aichi, Japan | Confirmed |
| Oct 2026 | Khel Mahakumbh 2026-27 district rounds | Across Gujarat | Underway |
| 16–27 Oct 2026 | World Boxing U-19 Championships | Budva, Montenegro | Scheduled |
| Late Oct 2026 | BFI Federation Cup | TBA | BFI calendar |
| 31 Oct – 13 Nov 2026 | Youth Olympic Games | Dakar, Senegal | Scheduled |
| Nov 2026 | World Boxing Cup Finals | Uzbekistan | BFI calendar |
| Dec 2026 | 10th Elite Men's & Women's Nationals | TBA | BFI calendar |
| 23–28 Oct 2026 | National School Games boxing, U-14 boys | Delhi | SGFI calendar |
| 4th week Oct 2026 | National School Games boxing, U-17 boys & girls | Imphal, Manipur | SGFI calendar |
| 2nd week Dec 2026 | National School Games boxing, U-19 boys & girls | Bhiwani, Haryana | SGFI calendar |
| ~Mar–Apr 2027 | BFI Sub-Junior, Junior and Youth Nationals | TBA | Expected |
| 2027 | World Boxing Championships (first LA 2028 qualifier) | TBA | Expected |
| 14–30 Jul 2028 | Olympic Games boxing | Los Angeles | Confirmed |
70th National School Games 2026-27
School Games calendar
The SGFI national calendar for all 123 events, as published on 30 September 2026. Dates are tentative, so confirm with the school and the District Education Office before travelling.
UtkarshBoxing · U-17 Boys & GirlsImphal, Manipur4th week of October 2026
Boxing · U-14 BoysDelhi23–28 Oct 2026
Boxing · U-19 Boys & GirlsBhiwani, Haryana2nd week of December 2026
FootballFootball · U-17 BoysBallia, Uttar Pradesh2–6 Nov 2026
FootballFootball · U-19 BoysPort Blair, Andaman & Nicobar11–20 Dec 2026
PDFFull calendar (PDF)The original SGFI calendar, all sports and age groups.
| Sport | Age group | Venue | Host | Dates (tentative) |
|---|
Inspiration
India's boxers
Legends who built Indian boxing, and the stars and rising names to follow now.
Legends
MC Mary KomSix-time world champion, London 2012 Olympic bronze, Asian Games gold 2014.
Vijender SinghIndia's first Olympic boxing medal, bronze at Beijing 2008.
Lovlina BorgohainTokyo 2020 bronze, 2023 world champion, 2026 Asian Games finalist.
Nikhat ZareenTwo-time world champion.
Amit PanghalAsian Games gold 2018, world silver 2019.
Shiva ThapaSix Asian Championships medals, a record for a male boxer.
Ngangom Dingko SinghAsian Games gold 1998, Bangkok.
Mohammed Ali QamarIndia's first Commonwealth Games boxing gold, 2002.
Sarita Devi, Jenny R L, Lekha K C, Nitu Ghanghas, Saweety BooraWorld champions.
Stars and rising names (2025–26)
Jaismine Lamboria · 57 kgWorld champion 2025, Commonwealth gold 2026.
Minakshi Hooda · 48 kgWorld champion 2025, Asian champion 2026.
Nupur Sheoran · +80 kgWorld silver 2025.
Preeti Pawar · 54 kgAsian and Commonwealth champion 2026.
Priya Ghanghas · 60 kgAsian and Commonwealth champion 2026, Asiad bronze.
Arundhati Choudhary · 70 kgAsian and Commonwealth champion 2026.
Ankush Panghal · 80 kgCommonwealth gold 2026, Asian Games finalist.
Sachin Siwach · 60 kgCommonwealth gold 2026, Asian silver.
Parveen Hooda · 65 kgAsian Games 2026 finalist.
Vishvanath Suresh · 50 kgAsian champion 2026.
Narender Berwal · +90 kgTwo Asian Games bronzes, Commonwealth silver 2026. The model for Moksha's weight class.
Kapil Pokhariya · 90 kgAsian Games bronze 2026.
Youth to watchChandrika Pujari, Lanchenba Singh, Anant Deshmukh, Hemant Sangwan, Krisha Verma, Parthavi Grewal, Vanshika Goswami.
Pound for pound
World stars
The best professional boxers in the world, September 2026 (Uncrowned rankings).
| # | Men | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Naoya Inoue (Japan) | Undisputed super bantamweight champion. |
| 2 | Oleksandr Usyk (Ukraine) | Unbeaten heavyweight, 25-0. |
| 3 | David Benavidez (USA) | WBA & WBO cruiserweight champion. |
| 4 | Shakur Stevenson (USA) · Jesse Rodriguez (USA) | Tied. |
| 5 | Dmitry Bivol (Russia) | Light-heavyweight champion. |
| 6–9 | Devin Haney, Jaron Ennis, Jai Opetaia, Junto Nakatani |
Women: Claressa Shields, Katie Taylor, Gabriela Fundora, Chantelle Cameron.
Stay updated
Boxing news
The most reliable pages for daily boxing news, in India and worldwide.
LiveOlympics.com: India at the Asian GamesSchedule and results for India's boxers.
LiveThe Bridge: boxingIndian amateur boxing news and explainers.
LiveSportstar: boxingThe Hindu's sports magazine.
LiveESPN boxingWorld professional boxing news and results.
LiveSky Sports boxingFight schedule, results and analysis.
LiveYahoo Sports / UncrownedRankings and fight coverage.
All India Radio NewsGovernment news on Indian sport.
DD NewsGovernment news on Indian sport.
Glasgow 2026: India's 7 goldsOfficial report on India's record Commonwealth boxing haul.
Know the sport
Rules, safety & anti-doping
How bouts are scoredAmateur bouts are 3 rounds of 3 minutes, scored by five judges on the 10-point-must system. RSC means the referee stopped the contest because one boxer was outclassed or hurt.
HeadguardsYouth, junior and women boxers wear headguards. Elite men box without them. Check the current World Boxing rules each season.
World Boxing rulesTechnical and competition rules, weight classes and age groups.worldboxing.org
ImportantSafe weight managementBox at your natural weight. No dehydration, saunas or sweat suits to make weight, especially for young boxers.
ImportantHead injuriesAfter any stoppage to the head or symptoms such as headache or dizziness, get medical clearance and return to sparring gradually.
ImportantNADA India (anti-doping)Testing, medical exemptions and education. Check every supplement before use.nadaindia.yas.gov.in
WADAWorld Anti-Doping Agency. The Prohibited List is updated every January.wada-ama.org
Coaching coursesNIS Patiala (through SAI) runs coaching diplomas. Swarnim Gujarat Sports University offers sports science degrees.
Watch & learn
Training videos
Trusted YouTube channels for technique, footwork, defence and conditioning. Each link opens the channel search on YouTube.
Precision StrikingTechnique breakdowns and drills.
Fight TipsShort, clear lessons on punches, defence and footwork.
Tony JeffriesOlympic medallist's beginner-to-advanced training.
Expert BoxingFundamentals and fight IQ.
World Boxing (official)Championship highlights and full bouts.
Olympics boxingOlympic bouts and athlete stories.
Practical
Forms, entries & scholarships
| What | How it works |
|---|---|
| BFI championships | Entries come only from the state association, on its letterhead. Boxers register through an affiliated club and the state unit. |
| SGFI / National School Games | The school nominates through the District Education Office. The state unit submits the signed entry. Without it a boxer cannot compete or get a certificate. |
| Khel Mahakumbh | Free online registration on the portal each year (2026-27 closed on 22 Sep). Keep your KMK ID. |
| Shaktidoot 2.0 and SAG schemes | Apply through the SAG website when notified. Keep attested copies of State and National certificates ready. |
| ONGC Sports Scholarship | Ages 18–30, needs a National medal or above. Applications usually open in September (2026-27 window closed 29 Sep 2026). sportsscholarship.ongc.co.in · 2026-27 rules (PDF) |
| Sports quota jobs | Railways, Services (Army Sports Institute, Pune), police and PSUs recruit National medallists. |