Seven boxing athletes heading to India on Monday for 20th Asian Games preparations

KATHMANDU:- The boxing team is set to undergo training in Guwahati, Assam (India), in preparation for the 20th Asian Games. A nine-member Nepali squad, including seven athletes, is leaving for India on Monday.

Four male and three female boxers will represent Nepal at the Asian Games, which begin on September 19 in Aichi-Nagoya, Japan.

In the men’s categories, Chandra Bahadur Thapa (under 55 kg), Khagendra Roka Magar (under 60 kg), Dan Bahadur Darlami (under 70 kg), and Rabin Nepal (under 90 kg) will compete. Ramisha Shrestha (under 51 kg), Asmita Tamang (under 54 kg), and Kusum Tamang (under 65 kg) will participate in the women’s categories.

Pushkar Raj Panta, Secretary of the Nepal Boxing Federation, stated that the athletes will undergo 40 days of preparatory training at the National Centre of Excellence under the Sports Authority of India (SAI). The team will travel to Japan directly from there.

Except for Rabin, this is everyone’s first time participating in the Asian Games. Rabin had previously competed in the 19th Asian Games. Chandra is also a historic bronze medalist from the AIBA World Men’s Boxing Championships held in Dubai in 2025. Chandra’s bronze medal is the most significant achievement in the history of Nepali boxing to date.

The coaches are Raj Shrestha and Deepak Maharjan. Man Bahadur Bhandari, General Secretary of the Nepal Boxing Federation, is serving as the team manager; he will travel to India at a later time.

In the Asian Games, boxing has won a total of six bronze medals across three different editions so far. The sport secured its first-ever medal at the 10th edition held in Seoul, South Korea, in 1986.

At that time, Dal Bahadur Rana Magar, Tul Bahadur Thapa, Sushil Pokharel, and Manoj Bahadur Shrestha won bronze medals. In the other two editions, boxing won medals, thereby saving Nepal from returning empty-handed.

Chitra Bahadur Gurung won a bronze medal for Nepal at the 11th edition held in Beijing, China, in 1990, while Deepak—currently one of the team’s coaches—secured a bronze at the 16th Asiad held in Guangzhou, China, in 2010. Nepal has not won a boxing medal since the 17th edition held in Incheon, South Korea.

The team was given a send-off on Friday at a ceremony attended by National Sports Council Member-Secretary Ramcharitra Mehta, Nepal Boxing Federation President Ram Awale, and others.