Top 5 Indian Boxers of all time

LockerRoom Team

13 December 2022

A long list of Indian boxers have made their mark on the international amateur boxing circuit. After the country’s independence in 1947, boxers from India have been a mainstay in the Olympic games. So far, India has won three medals at the grand stage and a long list of World Championship medals to go with this.

Even though boxing is still overshadowed by more popular sports like Cricket, the country is still home to boxers that are conquering heights. With that said, there are five amateur boxers that stand out when it comes to achievements. Here is a look at them.

Honorable Mention: Lovlina Borgohain

The latest boxing medal in Olympics came thanks to Lovlina Borgohain. Hailing from Assam, Lovlina captured the bronze medal at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. She was the first female athlete and the second boxer from Assam to represent India at the Olympics.

At the Olympics, Lovlina secured wins over Nadine Apetz and Chen Nien Chin to bring home the bronze medal for India.

Apart from her Olympic medal, Lovlina has also two bronze medals at the World Championships and three medals at the Asian Championship including one gold medal in 2022. With age on her side, it would not be a surprise if Lovlina adds more to her already impressive resume in the coming years.

Lovlina Borgohain Achievements

Gold Medal: Amman 2022 Asian Championship
Bronze Medal: Delhi 2018 World Championship
Bronze Medal: Ulan-Ude 2019 World Championship
Bronze Medal: Dubai 2021 Asian Championship
Bronze Medal: Ho Chi Minh City 2017 Asian Championship
Bronze Medal: Tokyo 2020 Olympics

Honorable Mention: Amit Panghal

On October 16, 1995, in the village of Mayna near Rohtak, Haryana, Amit Panghal was born.

Amit Panghal competes in the flyweight and light flyweight weight classes and became the first Indian male boxer to earn a silver medal at the World Championships after winning gold in his first ever national competition in 2017. He has won medals at the Asian Games, Commonwealth Games and Asian Championship along with his silver in World Championship.

Amit Panghal is now a Junior Commissioned Officer in the Indian Army.

Amit Panghal Achievements:

World Championship: 1 Silver Medal
Asian Games: 1 Gold Medal
Commonwealth Games: 1 Silver Medal
Asian Championship: 1 Gold, 1 Silver and 1 Bronze Medal

5. Hawa Singh

Hawa Singh established himself in the early years of Indian boxing by winning 11 consecutive national titles between 1961 and 1972.

In Umarwas, Haryana, Hawa Singh was born on December 16, 1937. In 1956, he enlisted in the army, and for the next ten years, he ruled the continent.

Hawa Singh is the only Indian boxer to have successfully defended their title at the competition after winning back-to-back gold medals at the Asian Games in 1966 and 1970. He co-founded the renowned Bhiwani Boxing Club after retiring. He was awarded the Dronacharya Award in 1999 and passed away in 2000 just 15 days before he was set to receive his Dronacharya Award

Hawa Singh Achievements:

Asian Games: 2 Gold Medals

4. Vikas Krishan

Born in Haryana, Vikas Krishan started his boxing career at the age of 10. He has qualified for the Olympics on three occasions and is a gold medallist at the Commonwealth Games.

Apart from this, he has also won a Bronze Medal at the World Championship. An Asian Games Gold Medal also stands out in Vikas’s resume which also includes an undefeated record in Professional Boxing. He is 2-0 in professional boxing having made his professional debut back in 2019.

He was awarded the Arjuna Award for his achievements in 2012 and in 2018, he had signed a multi-year deal with one of the top boxing promotions in the United States, Top Rank.

Vikas Krishan Achievements:

World Championship: 1 Bronze Medal
Asian Games: 1 Gold Medal, 2 Bronze Medals
Asian Championship: 1 Silver Medal, 2 Bronze Medals
Commonwealth Games: 1 Gold Medal

3. Sarita Devi

While most people might recognize Mary Kom as the most successful boxer from Manipur, Sarita Devi is a name that has her own place in the history books. Born in Thoubal as the sixth of eight siblings, she hails from a humble background and started boxing back in 2000.

Six years later, Sarita made history when she captured the World Championship Gold Medal. Prior to this, she had won Bronze Medal at the World Championships in 2005 and repeated the same in 2008 as well.

She is a five-time Asian Championship Gold Medallist and has won a Silver medal in the Commonwealth games as well.

Sarita Devi Achievements:

World Championships: 1 Gold Medal, 2 Bronze Medals
Asian Championships: 5 Gold Medals, 1 Silver Medal, 2 Bronze Medals
Asian Games: 1 Bronze Medal
Commonwealth Games: 1 Silver Medal

2. Vijender Singh

Vijender Singh is one of those rare names in Indian boxing that has enjoyed success in both Amateur Boxing and Professional Boxing. Born in Haryana, Vijender had his own share of struggles growing up.

His father was a bus driver and used to work extra hours to support the education of Vijender. The struggles paid off in 2008 when Vijender Singh became the first Indian boxer to win an Olympic medal.

Vijender secured a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and opened the doors for a long list of Indian boxers. Apart from his success in the Olympics, Vijender has also won medals at the World Championship, Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and Asian Championship.

After his Amateur run, Vijender turned professional and built up an impressive record of 12-0 before suffering his first loss. During this run, he also captured the WBO Asia Pacific Super Middleweight title.

Achievements of Vijender Singh

Olympics: 1 Bronze Medal
World Championship: 1 Bronze Medal
Commonwealth Games: 2 Silver Medals, 1 Bronze Medals
Asian Games: 1 Gold Medal, 1 Bronze Medal
Asian Championship: 1 Silver Medal, 1 Bronze Medal
WBO Asia Pacific Title
WBO Oriental Super-Middleweight title

1. Mary Kom

Mary Kom is hands down one of the most successful boxers from India. She hails from a small village in Manipur and has been inspiring generations of boxers with her story. Coming from a humble background and becoming one of the most iconic amateur boxers in the world is nothing short of fascinating.

She is a six-time gold medallist at the Boxing World Championship and has won five gold medals at the Asian Championship as well. Mary Kom has Gold Medals in Commonwealth Games, Asian Indoor Games and Asian Games.

The biggest achievement of Mary Kom, however, came in 2012 when she captured the Olympic Bronze Medal in London.

Outside Boxing, Mary Kom is also a Member of Parliament and has been awarded the Padma Vibhushan, Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri among others.

Mary Kom Achievements

Olympics: 1 Bronze Medal
World Championship: 6 Gold Medals, 1 Silver Medal, 1 Bronze Medal
Asian Games: 1 Gold Medal, 1 Bronze Medal
Asian Championship: 5 Gold Medals, 2 Silver Medals
Commonwealth Games: 1 Gold Medal
Asian Indoor Games: 1 Gold Medal

Along with these boxers, names like Pooja Rani, Shiva Thapa, Manoj Kumar, Akhil Kumar, and Lekha KC among others have also made their mark in Indian boxing.

When it comes to professional boxing, it is an entirely different story and there are many more names that deserve recognition.

In conclusion, here is our list of the top Indian Boxers of all time

Honourable Mention: Lovlina Borgohain
Honourable Mention: Amit Panghal
Hawa Singh
Vikas Krishan
Sarita Devi
Vijender Singh
Mary Kom

What are your thoughts on the list? Let us know in the comments below.

Please login to leave a comment