New Delhi: India’s campaign at the inaugural World Boxing Cup began on a disappointing note as Lakshya Chahar suffered a defeat in his opening 80kg bout against Brazil’s Wanderley Pereira in Foz do Iguaçu.
The reigning national light heavyweight champion lost 0-5 in a unanimous decision to the 2023 World Championship silver medallist and Paris Olympian in the pre-quarterfinals at the Rafain Palace Hotel & Convention on Monday night.
Facing a formidable opponent, Chahar struggled to match Pereira’s dominance in the ring.
The Brazilian boxer secured near-perfect scores, with all but one judge awarding him 30 points, leading to a total of 149 out of 150, while Chahar finished with 135.
India’s hopes now rest on three boxers—Jadumani Singh Mandengbam (50kg), Nikhil Dubey (75kg), and Jugnoo (85kg)—who will compete on the second day of the six-day tournament.
The 20-year-old Jadumani is set to face a challenging bout against last year’s World Boxing Cup silver medallist, Ellis Trowbridge of Great Britain, for a place in the semifinals.
Nikhil will take on Brazil’s Kaue Belini in the quarterfinals, while Jugnoo will battle France’s Abdoulaye Traore for a spot in the last eight.
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This tournament marks the first international appearance for elite Indian boxers since the Paris Olympics and is the first event organised by World Boxing since receiving provisional recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in February.
It also serves as the debut international competition for Indian boxers under the newly introduced weight categories by World Boxing.
