Indian boxing selection trials for Asian and Commonwealth Games announced

The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) has announced trials to select the squads for this year’s Asian Games, the Commonwealth Games and the women’s world championships.

The selection trials for three upcoming big-ticket events will be spread out from March to June, giving elite boxers more time to prepare.

The selection trials for all 12 women’s world championships weight divisions (48kg, 50kg, 52kg, 54kg, 57kg, 60kg, 63kg, 66kg, 70kg, 75kg, 81kg, +81kg) and three overlapping Asian Games categories will be held from March 7 to 9.

Trials for the remaining two Asian Games weight categories - women’s 51kg and women’s 69kg - will be held separately, from March 11 to 14. Tokyo Olympic bronze-medallist Lovlina Borgohain competes in the 69kg category.

“There are three categories (57kg, 60kg, 75kg) which are the same in the world championships and Asian Games. Different selection trials dates will allow boxers to change weight categories and present their challenge for Asian Games as well,” BFI secretary Himanta Kalita said.

The Asian Games selection trials for all the eight men’s categories (52 kg, 57 kg, 63 kg, 69 kg, 75 kg, 81 kg, 91 kg, +91 kg) will be held in May.

For the Commonwealth Games, selection trials for both men and women pugilists will be held in June.

“This format will give boxers, whose category is not part of Asiad, a big relief as they still can participate in both the events with different weight divisions,” Kalita added.

The women’s world championships are scheduled from May 6 to 21 in Istanbul, Turkey while the Commonwealth Games 2022 will begin on July 28 in Birmingham, UK. The Asian Games 2022 begin on September 10 in Hangzhou, China.

National campers, including the participants of the Tokyo Olympics 2020, who didn’t compete in the national championships, will be eligible for the selection trials.

All the selection trial bouts will be video recorded to ensure transparency.