India’s campaign at the inaugural World Boxing Cup began on a disappointing note as Lakshya Chahar was defeated in his opening bout in the 80kg category by local boxer Wanderley Pereira at the Rafain Palace Hotel & Convention in Foz do Iguacu, Brazil, on Monday night.
Chahar, the reigning national light heavyweight champion, faced a daunting challenge against Pereira, a 2023 World Championship silver medallist and Paris Olympian.
The Indian boxer suffered a comprehensive 0-5 defeat, with all but one judge scoring in Pereira’s favour.
The Brazilian earned a total of 149 points out of a possible 150, while Chahar finished with 135 points.
The defeat marks a tough start for the Indian team in this prestigious tournament. Pereira's dominance in the ring left Chahar with little room for recovery.
Three other Indian boxers are set to compete on the second day of the six-day tournament.
Jadumani Singh Mandengbam (50kg), Nikhil Dubey (75kg), and Jugnoo (85kg) will be looking to bounce back and secure their spots in the later rounds.
Jadumani, 20, will face a tough challenge against last year’s World Boxing Cup silver medallist, Ellis Trowbridge of Great Britain, as he bids for a place in the semifinals.
Nikhil will take on local hope Kaue Belini in the quarterfinals, while Jugnoo aims to overcome France’s Abdoulaye Traore to progress to the last eight.
This World Boxing Cup marks a significant milestone as it is the first event hosted by World Boxing since receiving provisional recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in February, with boxing being included in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
It is also the first international competition where Indian boxers are competing in the new weight categories introduced by World Boxing.
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