Boxing Stats: Indian Boxers who have won medals at the Men’s World Boxing Championships
The IBA World Boxing Championships is the boxing competition organized by the International Boxing Association (IBA) on a biennial basis. The Men’s World Boxing Championships have been organized since 1974, while the tournament for the women’s was established in 2001. Just like the Olympics boxing competition, the World Championships hold significant value in an amateur boxer’s career. Since the beginning, the men’s event has been conducted in odd years.
Cuba is the most successful team in the history of the Men’s World Boxing Championships with 80 gold, 35 silver, and 28 bronze medals, with an overall 143 medals. Cuba’s dominance is such that they have won more than twice the number of medals collected by the second-placed team, i.e., Russia (69). The United States of America is the third-best team in terms of medals, with 18 gold, 13 silver, and 19 bronze medals.
The 2023 edition of the Men’s World Boxing Championships has already begun at Tashkent, Uzbekistan on May 1 and will conclude on May 14, 2023. India is also taking part in the championships and has sent a 13-member contingent to the championships. India ranks 42nd in the competition, having won one silver and six bronze medals in the event.
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Indian medalists at the Men’s World Boxing Championships
1) Vijender Singh
Vijender Singh Beniwal, popularly known as Vijender Singh, is India’s first-ever medalist at the Men’s World Boxing Championships as he scripted history for India. In 2009, Vijender accomplished this feat in the championships taking place in Milan, Italy, by defeating Sergiy Derevyanchenko of Ukraine in the quarter-finals by 12-4 in the men’s 75kg to win the bronze medal.
2) Vikas Krishan Yadav
Vikas Krishan Yadav clinched the second medal for India, another bronze, in the 2011 Men’s World Boxing Championships, by securing a 9-8 win over Moldova’s Vasili Belous in a close contest. His semi-final was also a nail-biting contest but he couldn’t go past Taras Shelestyuk of Ukraine, losing to him by 12-15 to ensure India’s second medal in the history of the event.
3) Shiva Thapa
Six-time Asian championship medalist Shiva Thapa is another boxer who collected the bronze medal for India in the men’s Bantamweight in the 2015 edition of the event which took place in Doha, Qatar. The boxer knocked out one of his opponents on his way to the semi-final. But, in the semis, he couldn’t replicate his success as he was defeated by Murodjon Akhmadaliev, the number one-seeded boxer in the event. Shiva Thapa will also lead India’s challenge in the 2023 edition.
4) Gaurav Bidhuri
Gaurav Bidhuri’s bronze medal win in Hamburg, Germany, in the 2017 edition of the Men’s World Boxing Championships was the most unexpected in the event. Gaurav who was a wildcard entrant and making his debut brought glory to the nation after winning his quarter-final bout against Bilel Mhamdi of Tunisia through a split decision.
5) Amit Panghal
Amit Panghal claimed the silver medal in the 2019 edition of the men’s flyweight division in Yekaterinburg, Russia. This was the best-ever finish by an Indian in any edition of the World Championships. Panghal dominated right from the beginning as he defeated all his opponents but was eventually defeated by the Rio Olympics 2016 gold medalist Shakhobidin Zoirov.
6) Manish Kaushik
Manish Kaushik was another medalist from the 2019 edition as he took home the bronze medal in the light welterweight category. He ultimately lost to the gold medalist of the competition Andy Gomez Cruz in the semis, who was the top-seeded athlete from Cuba. Manish is also the 2018 Commonwealth Games silver medalist.
7) Akash Kumar
The last Indian athlete to have won a medal at the competition is Akash Kumar who claimed the bronze in 2021 in the men’s Bantamweight. In the quarter-final, Akash confirmed the medal by defeating the Rio Olympics 2016 silver medalist Yoel Finol to win the sixth bronze for his nation in the event.
Indians who have won medals at the Men’s World Boxing Championships
| Venue (Year) | Athlete | Weight Category | Medal |
| Milan, Italy (2009) | Vijender Singh | Men’s Middleweight event | Bronze |
| Baku, Azerbaijan (2011) | Vikas Krishan Yadav | Men’s Welterweight event | Bronze |
| Doha, Qatar (2015) | Shiva Thapa | Men’s Bantamweight event | Bronze |
| Hamburg, Germany (2017) | Gaurav Bidhuri | Men’s Bantamweight event | Bronze |
| Yekaterinburg, Russia (2019) | Amit Panghal | Men’s Flyweight event | Silver |
| Yekaterinburg, Russia (2019) | Manish Kaushik | Men’s Light welterweight event | Bronze |
| Belgrade, Serbia (2021) | Akash Kumar | Men’s Bantamweight event | Bronze |
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