BFI announces Rs 17.5 lakh prize money for World Boxing Cups medallists

New Delhi, July 24 (IANS) The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has announced a prize purse of Rs 17.5 lakh to reward the 17 Indian boxers who brought home medals from the recent World Boxing Cup legs in Brazil and Kazakhstan.

Each gold medallist will receive Rs 2 lakh, silver medallists Rs 1 lakh and bronze winners Rs 50,000 as India builds momentum toward the World Boxing Cup Finals to be held in New Delhi later this year.

The announcement comes at a time when India’s national core group continues high-intensity training at the Patiala camp in preparation for two key international events: the World Boxing Championships in Liverpool in September and, later, the World Boxing Cup Finals on home soil.

In a further boost to the development pipeline, the BFI has been approached by China to explore a strategic partnership spanning junior, sub-junior, and elite levels, including potential joint training camps and sparring exchanges.

Commenting on the pugilists’ success and the path forward, BFI president-chairman of the Interim Committee, Ajay Singh, said, “I want to congratulate our boxers for a fantastic showing on the world stage. Our efforts are beginning to bear fruit. India has made a huge mark in the first two cups and our fifth in the world. It’s a matter of pride. When you go to these championships, people come up to congratulate the contingent, to tell us what a great job India is doing in boxing. We have also been approached by China for a strategic relationship for boxing development, reflecting how highly the world is looking at Indian boxing.”

“But this is just the beginning. There are many Mary Koms and Vijender Singhs out there; we must nurture them and ensure they’re prepared to deliver at the biggest stages, including the Olympics,” he added.

The dual World Boxing Cup performance brought India a total of 17 medals, including 4 gold, with standout showings from Sakshi (54kg), Jaismine Lamboria (57kg) and Nupur (80+kg) in Astana, and Hitesh Gulia (70kg) in Brazil. Notably, both Hitesh and Abhinash Jamwal (65kg) secured medals at both events - a gold and silver for Hitesh; two silvers for Abhinash - underlining consistency across weight categories.

In addition to the gold medallists, India’s medal tally included silvers for Pooja Rani (80kg), Minakshi (48kg), Jugnoo (85kg), and Hitesh and Abhinash in Astana, while Sanju (60kg), Nikhil Dubey (75kg), and Narender (90+kg) earned bronze. From the Brazil leg, bronze medals were also secured by Jadumani Singh (50kg), Manish Rathore (55kg), Sachin Siwach (60kg), and Vishal (90kg).

Speaking at the ceremony, guest of honour Vijender Singh, India’s first Olympic boxing medallist, said, “You all have done very well, all the boys and girls. We have to keep going. There are a lot of hurdles in life, and we have to move ahead without being satisfied, always hungry for more success.”

The recognition reflects the Federation’s continued push to reward performance and sharpen India’s international boxing ecosystem with depth, structure, and continuity at its core. Earlier this year, India clinched a rich medal haul at the Asian Boxing U-15 and U-17 Championships, underscoring the strength of its talent pipeline. At the Thailand Open, India’s second- and third-in-line boxers delivered silverware, showcasing bench strength across categories.

Domestically, the recently concluded Elite Women’s Boxing Tournament in Telangana offered high-quality exposure for top contenders and a platform to identify the next tier of national talent.

--IANS

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