India continued its winning performance on Day 2 of the World Boxing Cup Finals, with all five male boxers in action securing wins to advance to the semifinals and guarantee medals for the host nation. The day’s highlight was a an upset in the men’s 70kg quarterfinal, where Hitesh Gulia managed a 3-2 split decision victory over the heavily favored Olympian and World Championships silver medallist Sewon Okazawa of Japan.
The bout against the Japanese champion, known for his distinctive style, pushed Hitesh to his limits. The young Indian boxer, representing India in the 70kg category following Nishant Dev’s transition to the professional circuit, came prepared for Okazawa's tactics of keeping away and landing opportunistic punches.
Hitesh revealed his strategy, saying, "My plan was to not get tangled into his way of boxing. I knew he keeps away and lands punches when there is a chance, I just avoided his ploy." Hitesh won the first two rounds by closely fought margins before sealing the biggest win of his career in the third round.
The upset was crucial for Hitesh, who had previously failed to advance beyond the first round in the World Championships. He credited the overwhelming support from the home crowd: "Usually, when we play outside, we don’t have this kind of support. Today, my family and friends were here and it elevated my performance." Hitesh, will next face Ismoilov Mukhammadazizbek of Uzbekistan in the semifinal.
The other four Indian boxers in action secured equally impressive victories. Pawan Bartwal (55kg) delivered a standout performance, defeating Brazil World Cup gold medallist Altynbek Nursultan of Kazakhstan via a 5-0 unanimous decision to secure his maiden international medal. Additionally, Jadumani Singh (50kg), Sumit Kundu (75kg), and Naveen Kumar (90kg) all won their respective quarterfinals by commanding 5-0 margins, rounding out a perfect day for the host nation.
With these five wins, India's total medal count guarantees at the World Boxing Cup Finals rises to nine, following the four medals secured on the opening day by Minakshi Hooda and Preeti Pawar, among others. On Day 3, Minakshi Hooda (48kg) will face Bak Chorong of Korea, while Preeti Pawar (54kg) faces a major test against three-time world champion Huang Hsiao-Wen, as the Indian contingent looks to convert their guaranteed podium finishes into gold medals.
