Xinjiang [China], August 26 (ANI): India's young boxers are making their presence felt at the 3rd 'Belt and Road' International Youth Boxing Gala - U17/U19/U23 International Training Camp & Tournament, currently underway in Xinjiang, China, from August 15 to 30, 2025.

India has sent a 59-member contingent comprising 20 boys and 20 girls, supported by 12 coaches, six support staff, and one referee and judge. Only U-17 boys and girls are representing India at this edition.

The team was selected from the 6th U-17 Junior Boys & Girls National Boxing Championships 2025, with medalists across Asian Youth Games and Non-Asian Youth Games weight categories earning a place, according to a press release from BFI.

On August 25, the junior girls began their bouts, with Khushi Chand (46kg) defeating China by RSC in the 3rd round in Ring A, and Priya (66kg) also defeating China by RSC in the 3rd round in Ring B.

On the same day, the junior boys delivered strong performances with Dhruv Kharb (46kg) defeating Iran's Akbari Maghsoudian Amirmahdi 5:0, Ritesh Kumar (57kg) overpowering Kyrgyzstan's Ergeshov Alikhan 5:0, and Aryan (60kg) advancing against Kazakhstan's Dulat Aziz via disqualification. Despite losses for Lanchenba Singh, Sahil Duhan, and Bhavya Pratap, the team displayed resilience against experienced opponents.

The competition phase of the tournament continues till August 29 in Urumqi and Yili, with both boys and girls aiming to showcase India's emerging boxing talent on the international stage.

During the ongoing Youth Boxing Gala, boxers have competed across multiple divisions. U17 boys and girls contested in 13 weight categories - 46kg, 48kg, 50kg, 52kg, 54kg, 57kg, 60kg, 63kg, 66kg, 70kg, 75kg, 80kg, and +80kg.

Participation in this international training camp and competition is expected to provide India's young boxers with valuable exposure and experience against strong global opponents.

In recent months, Indian Junior boxers have delivered standout performances at international competitions, most notably at the Asian U-15 and U-17 Championships earlier this year, where the team secured 43 medals and finished second overall. These results underline India's growing depth in grassroots boxing and the promise of its next generation on the world stage. (ANI)