GREATER NOIDA: The World Boxing Cup Finals 2025 officially come to life on Sunday in Greater Noida, the opening ceremony kicking off what promises to be a big week in global boxing.
Earlier, the draw delivered India a mix of strong opportunities and high-pressure tests, with World Champion Meenakshi Hooda, Preeti, Narender Berwal and Ankush Phangal leading the hosts’ Day 1 campaign.
After a landmark World Championships in 2023, this marks India’s first major international boxing tournament on home soil, signalling the country’s renewed presence on the global stage.
India’s campaign opens with a high-stakes opener as World Championships Liverpool 2025 gold medalist Meenakshi (48kg) collides with Kazakhstan’s Bolat Akbota, followed by a tense, tactical showdown between Preeti (54kg) and Uzbekistan’s Nigina Uktamova, a former Youth World champion and an Asiad medal to her name– the winner of this bout will be earning a blockbuster meeting against Olympic medalist and top seed, Huang Hsiao-Wen of Chinese Taipei.
The men’s draw brings equally fierce action, featuring a high-octane clash between Ankush (80kg) and Japan’s Go Wakaya, a silver medalist from the previous iteration of the World Boxing Cup Finals in Sheffield, known for his range and quickness.
Meanwhile, Narender (90+kg), the Asian Games and World Cup bronze medalist, will lock into a power-packed quarterfinal against Ukraine’s King’s Cup 2025 gold medalist Andrii Khaletskyi. Later in the tournament, Brazil World Cup gold medalist Hitesh is primed for a marquee 70kg battle with top seed Sewon Okazawa, as two-time world champ Nikhat Zareen dives straight into a semifinal showdown with Uzbek Ganieva Gulsevar.
Addressing the gathering, Ajay Singh, BFI president said, "This truly is a celebration of excellence. We have the top boxers from the world coming here, on this stage, and competing to be the champions. This is a great moment for the sportsperson, a great moment for our country. On behalf of 1.4 billion Indians, I welcome you all. I appreciate the effort of all the organisers, partners, and volunteers, and reaffirm that India is fully committed to supporting World Boxing now and in the future, for many, many such championships."
Kicking off the tournament in style, the opening ceremony offered a powerful glimpse of the scale and prestige surrounding the event on Saturday evening, featuring a striking lamp-lighting segment and a march-past of all participating countries.
The evening also showcased a vibrant blend of music and dance, capturing the cultural richness of India through a beautifully curated performance as the Games were formally declared open. BFI president Singh, World Boxing Cup organizing secretary and general secretary, BFI, Pramod Kumar, and Acting World Boxing Secretary General Mike McAtee presided over the ceremony, officially opening the tournament.