Boxer Parveen Hooda secures Asian Games medal after quarter-final win

Indian boxer Parveen Hooda has reached the semi-finals in the women's 65kg category at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games. She defeated Uzbekistan's Navbakhor Khamidova by a 5-0 unanimous decision to ensure at least a bronze medal. Khamidova holds a silver medal from the 2025 World Championships. This tournament appearance marks a major comeback for Hooda after a suspension by the International Testing Agency due to a whereabouts failure. That penalty removed her previous Asian Games medal won in Hangzhou three years prior and cost her a Paris Olympics quota. She also faced a quarter-final loss to England's Sacha Hickey at the Commonwealth Games. During Sunday's bout, the 26-year-old Indian kept her opponent away using steady footwork and left jabs. Khamidova attacked aggressively in the opening round, but Hooda took charge as the Uzbek fighter grew tired over the final three rounds. Coach Santiago Nieva noted that the strategy involved fighting from a long distance to manage the bout. He added that Hooda stayed calm and used her left hook and back right hand effectively. India has now locked in three boxing medals. Alongside Hooda, Narender Berwal advanced past Thailand's representative via a referee-stopped-contest decision, and Ankush Panghal defeated Tajikistan's Nekruz Salimov. Meanwhile, Sachin Siwach lost 4-1 to Japan's Shunsuke Kitamoto. In the next round, Hooda will face China's Li Shu. Shu advanced by defeating Kazakhstan's Aida Abikeyeva, who won gold at last year's World Championships.