How Amit Panghal continued winning streak from 49 to 52kg

Only two years into his senior career, Amit Panghal shot to success with a gold medal finish at the 2018 Asian Games. He defeated the reigning Olympic champion Hasanboy Dusmatov in the final in Jakarta to emerge as one of the brightest young talents.

But rather than sticking to his comfort zone, the Indian boxer moved up to the 52kg category in 2019. And he will enter Tokyo 2020 as the top seed and one of India's biggest medal hopes.

“All opponents in my weight category are tall,” Panghal, who stands at 5’2” had told Sportstar in an interview in 2019. “I need to practise more on power, endurance and reach. I am adding more punches along with correct footwork.”

Back home, Panghal, who is known in the Indian sporting circles as ‘Chhota Tyson,’ sparred with boxers who were taller and in a higher weight category to test his progress. The Indian, who admits that his game is built on counter-attack, however is known for adapting his game according to his opponent on the day.

He made a smooth transition to the higher weight category, winning a gold at the 2019 Asian Championships and became the first Indian male boxer to win a World Championships silver in Russia the same year.

“There are very few boxers with a style like this. He is very similar to (Rafael) Lozano who was also short and quick and had an in-and-out technique,” Santiago Nieva, Indian men’s team’s high-performance director, told Hindustan Times in 2019, comparing Panghal with two-time Olympic medalist Lozano.

“He is like a radar and finds his target with his vision, footwork and speed,” added Nieva.

“Timing and speed are the most important elements of his boxing. He makes small movements and being short and fast, he is almost elusive. He has a good defence and he plays well inside or out and can hit through difficult angles.”

On paper, taller boxers have an advantage because of the longer reach. But Panghal has honed his overhead punch – where he can punch above his eyeline—into a strength. His lightning quick footwork helps him not only evade his rivals, but transition from a defensive position into an attacking one.

“The fact he is able to stay on his toes for the full three rounds of the match is due to athleticism,” said India’s chief coach CA Kuttappa.

“He can dodge and evade his rival and at the same time dictate the speed of the fight. It helps Panghal move quickly and safely in and out of the range of the opponent.”

Despite the break in training and competitions last year due to the pandemic, the 25-year-old made a winning return to the ring. He won a gold at the Boxing World Cup in Cologne at the end of 2020 and a silver at the 2021 Asian Championships in Dubai in May.

When will Amit Panghal be seen in action?

Amit Panghal will take on Yuberjen Herney Martinez Rivas in the Round of 16 on Saturday, July 31.