Indian boxers Jadumani Singh and Preeti Pawar advance to Commonwealth Games quarterfinals

By Rohan Gupta — 27 July 2026 — 3 min read

Indian boxer Jadumani Singh Mandengbam has secured a spot in the men’s 55kg quarterfinals at the Commonwealth Games 2026. He achieved a unanimous 5-0 decision victory over Sumama Rehman of Pakistan on Sunday. This win occurred on Kargil Vijay Diwas, a day of remembrance for India’s Kargil War heroes, to whom Mandengbam dedicated his victory.

Following his bout, the 22-year-old boxer expressed his satisfaction with the win against Pakistan and stated his intention to perform even better in the quarterfinals to secure a gold medal for India. Mandengbam’s performance was described as composed and technically superior, with the crowd at the SEC Centre in Glasgow cheering him on with chants of “Bharat Mata ki Jai” and “India, India.”

During the match, Mandengbam initially observed Rehman’s rhythm in the opening round. He then began to land sharp hooks and straight punches, demonstrating superior speed and movement that troubled his opponent. Rehman received a standing count in the second round after Mandengbam delivered a strong right hand. The Indian boxer maintained control throughout, inviting Rehman to advance before countering with speed. All five judges awarded the victory to Mandengbam.

Mandengbam’s Path to the Quarterfinals

This recent victory marks Mandengbam’s second consecutive unanimous win at the Commonwealth Games. In the opening round, he also secured a 5-0 victory against Aaron Cullen of Scotland. His consistent performance has placed him in the last eight of the competition. Mandengbam is scheduled to compete again on Tuesday for a place in the semifinals.

A win in the quarterfinals would guarantee Mandengbam at least a bronze medal, as both losing semifinalists in Commonwealth Games boxing receive bronze medals. The Manipuri boxer previously earned a silver medal in the 50kg category at last year’s World Boxing Cup Finals before moving up to the 55kg division, where he has continued to show strong form.

Mandengbam will face Mwengo Mwale of Zambia in his quarterfinal bout on Tuesday. He is now just one victory away from securing a medal at the Commonwealth Games.

Other Indian Boxing Successes

Alongside Mandengbam, Asian Games bronze medallist Preeti Pawar also advanced to the quarterfinals in the women’s 54kg category. Pawar secured her win against Deborah Mtenje of Malawi via a Referee Stop Contest (RSC) decision in the second round of their pre-quarterfinals bout. Pawar, who also won a gold medal at the New Delhi World Cup last year, dominated her opponent, who faced two standing counts before the referee stopped the contest.

Pawar’s victory means she is also one win away from securing her first Commonwealth Games medal. She is set to compete against Nicole Clyde of Northern Ireland in her quarterfinal match on Tuesday. The two boxers have previously trained together as sparring partners in Belfast ahead of the Games.

On Sunday, India also saw success in other events in Glasgow. Mirabai Chanu earned her third consecutive Commonwealth Games gold medal in weightlifting. Additionally, Chanambam Rishikanta Singh and Raja Muthupandi secured silver medals, contributing to India’s overall medal count.

Source: timesofindia.indiatimes.com